Soroptimist International Joondalup’s Joan Bowey and volunteer gift-wrapper Chloe Sheridan at Ocean Keys Shopping Centre.
Camera IconSoroptimist International Joondalup’s Joan Bowey and volunteer gift-wrapper Chloe Sheridan at Ocean Keys Shopping Centre. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Clarkson: Ocean Keys gift wrapping raises funds for Soroptimist International Joondalup, PCH Foundation

Staff WriterNorth Coast Times

VOLUNTEERS are wrapping gifts for gold coin donations at Ocean Keys Shopping Centre in Clarkson.

Proceeds from the wrapping service will go to Soroptimist International Joondalup and the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Joan Bowey from SI Joondalup said the group supported a variety of organisations and initiatives that empowered and educated girls and women around the world, with some of the funds raised from the gift wrapping directed to Butler College.

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“This is the third year of raising funds for ‘Girls in science’ at Butler College and we’re glad to be able to support young women in realising their career aspirations,” Ms Bowey said.

Year 12 Butler College student Chloe Sheridan is receiving support from the program to take part in a three-week volunteer turtle conservation program off the coast of Bali in January.

Chloe wants to study a double major in animal health and animal science to get into vet surgery at Murdoch University.

She needs to do work experience to be accepted into the program and the volunteer work will go towards her application.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity,” she said.

“I’ll be with a group of international volunteers at Nusa Penida, off the coast of Ubud, helping in turtle conservation.

“We’ll be cleaning turtles and untangling them from plastics, monitoring them at their nests at night and releasing healthy turtles into the wild, as well as doing beach clean-ups.”

The animal lover has always wanted to work with animals but her dream of a career in the vet sciences became more focused after taking care of her injured Jack Russell-fox terrier, Bella, when she was 13.

“After Bella was attacked by another dog, she had three drainage units fitted to her neck and I was responsible for her after-care which involved cleaning her wounds, cleaning the units and re-stitching them into place,” Chloe said.

“I really enjoyed caring for her and knew I wanted to turn this passion of animal care into a profession.”

The teenager has had more than 20 pets, from her first guinea pigs to green tree frogs, rabbits, dogs and cats.

She currently has a tank of yabbies, Siamese fighting fish, two dogs and three cats.

The turtle conservation trip will cost $2500, with $800 donated by SI Joondalup via the Girls in science program.

Chloe hopes to raise the remaining $1700 through fundraising activities and will wrap presents at ‘Giftwrapping for Good’ at Ocean Keys in the lead up to Christmas.

The gift wrapping station, manned by volunteers, will run from 10am to 2pm until December 24.