After almost two decades with the Irish Wheelchair Assocation (IWA ) in Erris, Rose Coyle from Bangor Erris, is retiring as the coordinator of the service and today (Friday ) is her last official day at the helm.
However, her long career with the association came to a very fitting close when Ms Coyle was honoured with a prestigious national award for going above and beyond the call of duty by quietly devoting many hours of her spare time to her job.
At a ceremony celebrating ‘Volunteers - The Priceless Difference’, Ms Coyle was named national Staff Volunteer of the Year at the 2014 IWA annual conference.
The award celebrates IWA staff members who, even off the clock, continue their work with the organisation by volunteering time outside of their normal working hours.
Ms Coyle said she was “absolutely shocked but delighted” to receive the award.
“I just love what I do here in Erris,” she said. “I love the IWA and what it does for people. I feel so priviledged to have worked here and to feel that I had the opportunity to make a difference - so to get an award on top of all of that is amazing.”
Ms Coyle joined the IWA in 1995. One of the highlights of her career with the organisation was the official opening of the new purpose built IWA centre in Belmullet last year.
She had worked tirelessly for 16 years, leading the fundraising charge to get the dream €900,000 facility built.
On her retirement after such a long time with the organisation, Ms Coyle had no qualms whatsover about handing over the reins.
“I’m happy leaving in the knowledge that the centre will go on and it will be left in capable hands of Rosaleen Lally,” she said. “The good work will continue in Erris for many years to come.”
However, she admitted that while she is stepping down as coordinator of the service, she won’t be able to stay away for too long.
“I will still be involved in a voluntary capacity,” she explained. “I just think the IWA, nationally, is such a fantastic organisation and I have seen the difference it makes in peoples’ lives. For me, personally, it is very rewarding to work here.”
She also paid tribute to the people she had met through the IWA in Erris in her time there.
“The quality and calibre of staff we have had here over the years, it is just second to none,” she said. “There have been so many good people, and such friendships forged here.”
