Council is putting the spotlight on its hard-working Council volunteers this month to coincide with an annual celebration.
Among the region’s many volunteers, Council alone has close to 80 active volunteers at any given time, delivering a range of services across various areas including visitor centres, community support services, environmental activities, arts and culture activities and the Kyneton Museum.
Today (Monday 5 December) marks International Volunteer Day (IVD): a day to raise awareness of the important role volunteers play and to thank them for their contribution.
This year’s IVD theme is ‘Solidarity through Volunteering’. Kevin and Faye Oakley exemplify this theme, as volunteers with Council’s Community Support unit who understand the importance volunteering plays in helping build a positive community.
“Having experience with transporting family members for medical appointments made it obvious for us to see the need of the service,” they said.
“After retiring, offering our services to those in the community who required the same assistance was an easy decision.
“We have had many varied conversations during our trips and have enjoyed the company of all we have met. We have also found all of the staff at Macedon Ranges Shire Council a pleasure to deal with and extremely amiable and understanding when we are available or not.”
Local volunteering has a range of benefits—for the individual volunteering, the recipients and in helping to enhance the community. It provides a way residents can build a sense of citizenship, strengthen local bonds and help improve community life. Council’s Director Community, Maria Weiss, said IVD was an opportunity to acknowledge, celebrate and shine a light on the important work Council volunteers do for our community.
“Council also partners with many third party community organisations who provide volunteers that dedicate their time to Council services,” she said.
“Many of our programs and services could not run without the help and support of our volunteers. I would like to thank them all for their generosity and commitment to helping make a huge difference to the lives of other people and to our community.”
Find out more about volunteering at Council.
