QUEENSLAND’S St Vincent de Paul Society has appointed 19 year-old Carmel Dunn from Warwick as its new state youth representative.
Carmel, who is in her final year of study at the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, said she felt honoured and excited to be asked to take on the role of state youth representative.
‘The opportunity I’ve been given to liaise with members of the state council on youth matters will not be taken lightly and I hope to see stronger bonds between young people and adult members throughout Queensland,’ she said.
‘Young people are searching for a way to make a difference and longing to learn how to serve as Christ served.’
Carmel said the society was something she wanted to be part of for a long time.
She said her parents, Tom and Maureen, had also been involved in the society for as long as she could remember and her sisters were involved in St Vincent de Paul in Warwick.
Her father, who passed away recently, had been involved in the society for 37 years and was a former president of the Warwick Regional Council.
In 2001 Toowoomba diocesan president Tom Kelly asked her to be the Toowoomba diocesan youth representative.
Working in close contact with St Vincent de Paul’s Youth Ministries co-ordinator, Jim Wilkinson, she became involved along with other young members of the society in taking Sudanese refugee children, new to the area, out for ‘Buddies Day’.
This included taking the children on outings to the park and for picnics and showing them love and friendship.
