Rene Pettiford OAM

Rene Pettiford, the President of the Riverina Diocese MU Australia, is a very wonderful lady who has always given her life to helping people. 

She was a judge at the local show for many years in many areas. For 8 ˝ years she did voluntary hair dressing at the nursing home to make the residents feel loved. 

For 11 years Rene has been President of the Hospital Auxiliary and worked on the Hospital Kiosk for many more years. She has been President of the Day view Club as well as having held various other positions. Probus is another area where Rene has taken her responsibilities and been President and has produced the “Chit Chat”, the monthly paper for 15 years.

As Rene loves to sing she has led the singing at the Anzac Service in her small town of Yenda for 30 years and was honoured by the RSL. She has been a member of the Music Club for many years and held the position of Vice President. And of course been a singer in her Church at Yenda on Sundays.

Rene has been honoured by Rotary. The Girl Guides of New South Wales honoured Rene with a certificate from the State Commissioner for 40 years of Service. She has taken hundreds of girl guides on camps and guided them through their guiding years, giving them all a wonderful grounding in many skills of life and in leadership.

We are proud to have Rene as our Diocesan President and vice President of Griffith Branch of MU Australia.

When the cleaner at the Church in Yenda resigned Rene said she would do the cleaning until another cleaner could be found, 30 years later she was still cleaning the Church and was God’s Housekeeper” cheerfully carrying on the cleaning of the Church voluntary.

Rene can been seen regularly in the Street at Griffith selling raffle tickets for Rotary, Red Cross, Hospital Auxiliary, Heart Foundation, Cancer Research, Breast Cancer Support Group, Camp Quality or any of the many other organizations who she helps.

In 1995 Rene was recognised for her many good works in the community with the OAM and again in 2003 she was honoured with the Centenary Medal.

Recently Rene moved into Griffith to be “closer to the action”

Rene is one who really lives her Christian life and the ideals of MU Australia and is an inspiration to all of us.

(from Maff Lambert)