LIKE all the 2014 Orange Australia Day citizen of the year nominees, Dianne Aitken believes there are plenty of other Orange residents far more deserving.
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Mrs Aitken does not know why she was nominated or who nominated her but suspected it had something to do with her work through FoodCare Orange.
She is a nutritionist and just wants people to eat healthy.
She was there from the beginning of FoodCare Orange 18 months ago and since its opening, has encouraged about 50 customers a week.
She said it was a team effort.
“It has taken a lot of work but we’re getting there,” she said.
“I just like seeing the benefits of what people are receiving.”
One of her proudest moments of being involved with FoodCare concerns a particular family that did not like to socialise with any of the volunteers and were disengaged from the community.
“FoodCare is not just a place to buy food but we provide morning tea and a place to interact and have a chat.
“These people found it difficult to interact, now they feel part of it.”
Mrs Aitken’s goals for this year include having more fresh fruit and vegetables at FoodCare by getting more sponsors and donors on board.
She said part of the obesity epidemic in Australia, is that people can not afford to spend money on good, fresh, nutritional food so they buy cheap, fatty packaged food.
FoodCare Orange gives individuals and families on low incomes access to affordable food and household items.
“I’m not doing it for the profile, I’m doing it for the benefit of other people, that’s my reward.”
