Staff and board members of the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation came together to honour its outgoing CEO, Wendy McCarry. At a small gathering in Harvey’s Point, Wendy and her family heard how her caring, nurturing leadership and her love of her work had inspired all who worked with her. Click on the arrows to see Siobhan McNamara's photos from the evening
Those who spoke said they had not only been inspired by Wendy in their work, but were also encouraged and supported through their own personal growth.
Long term staff member Fintan Gallagher recalled his early impression of Wendy when he first joined the foundation, back when it opened the premises at the Glebe and was operating on a shoestring budget.
“Wendy wasn’t just sitting in an office typing on a computer,” he said. “She could be sweeping the front street. She was in the middle of everything.
“It lit something in me.”
Catherine Diver spoke of how much love, acceptance and belonging there was for the service users, and how the foundation’s services and facilities had significantly progressed on Wendy’s watch.
Board member Vincent Callaghan spoke of the love and dedication that Wendy brought to the role.
“Wendy’s leadership has been both visionary and deeply human,” he said.
“She has brought visibility to the often unheard voices in our community. She has stood with and for people with additional needs, always insisting that inclusion is not optional, it is essential. And that spirit will live on in the work we continue to do.
“As Wendy steps down from the role, we know that her legacy is not only measured in milestones and achievements, but in the lives she has touched and the hope she has helped inspire.”
She was also praised for her courage and the love that she showed to everyone in the foundation.
Wendy was deeply moved by the sentiments expressed by the speakers.
Video messages were shared from colleagues, and the theme of feeling supported and nurtured was a common theme, as was the strong sense of fun and camaraderie.
Wendy shared that her driving goal had been to provide a space where everyone who came though the doors of the Bluestack Foundation would feel not only accepted, but totally at home, with a strong sense of belonging.
She thanked her colleagues and said she would miss each and every one of them.
The service has developed to include drop-in clubs, a choir, an education and development programme for young adults, a fantastic café staffed by young adults who are trained in food preparation and barista skills, and a suite of support services for people with additional needs and their families.
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