AVI supporter Joy Kelly. Photo: supplied.
August 29, 2024
Include a Charity Week: An afternoon in Adelaide with Joy Kelly
Introduction by AVI Gift in Wills Officer, Meg Barnes.
For those following along, my name is Meg Barnes and I am AVI’s Gift in Wills Officer. I recently returned from an 18 month-long journey around Australia with my young family and along the way, took the time to meet with some of our most valued supporters. Joy Kelly has been supporting AVI’s work for 25 years and has made a commitment to continue this incredibly generous support into the future with a gift in her will.
As my family and I travelled through South Australia on our way home to Victoria, we stopped in Adelaide where I spent a cozy winters afternoon with Joy.
Joy grew up in rural South Australia where her family grew cereal crops and farmed sheep a few hours north of Adelaide. Joy married and had children, however her husband sadly died when their family was young. Joy now has 8 grandchildren that she adores and that play a huge role in her life. Joy is central to her family but she also gives far beyond her family – she supports a large number of charities, diverse in their mission, ranging from health to the arts, wildlife and international development.
Joy told me that she gives simply because she is able to and believes that if someone is able to, they should help where they can. I asked Joy to reflect on why she chooses to give to AVI. This is what she had to say.
– Meg Barnes, AVI Gift in Wills Officer
Testimonial from Joy Kelly…
August 29, 2024
“A friend’s daughter volunteered with AVI many years ago and from that time, something stuck with me about AVI’s work. I see the value in building personal relationships because personal contact is so meaningful. Having volunteers right there working within the community, meeting people and forming friendships means the work is so personalised. I can see the great benefit in that to both the volunteer and community in which they live. Because of these values, AVI is an organisation that I want to continue to support.”
– Joy Kelly
As a member of the Fundraising Institute of Australia and as part of Include a Charity week 2024, AVI is sharing the stories of some of our most valued supporters, their connection to our work and why they have decided to leave a gift in their will to AVI.
You can learn more about including a gift to AVI in your Will on our website or by getting in touch with AVI’s GIW officer, Meg Barnes on 0466 533 016 or via email at mbarnes@avi.org.au.
