This week we celebrate volunteers.

Here are some of the selfless volunteers who hail from our St Joseph's College community that we would like to acknowledge:

Mrs Jenny Sudholz

Where do you volunteer?

The Anglican Church Op Shop (serving customers and handling money).

Why do I volunteer?

It’s a part of church life.

What do you get out of volunteering?

Serving others and God.

Mrs Claire Hogan

Where do you volunteer?

The Echuca Football Netball Club (Netball Committee, Facilities Committee and canteen duty).

Why do you volunteer?

I'm a member of the club - my son plays; facilities committee - to ensure gender equality.

What do you get out of volunteering?

Friendships, achievements, fun and helping out. The footy club is a volunteer organisation so volunteers are crucial to spread the load.

Autumn Stacey

Where do you volunteer?

At the Campaspe Shire Council as a member of the Youth Action Group (YAG).

Why do you volunteer?

I get the opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to the youth of the community and present the issues and possible plans/solutions to council. We also organise or contribute to youth related events.

What do you get out of volunteering?

The youth in our shire are often forgotten or pushed to the side in discussions of the future of our shire, despite us being the future of it, with our voices ignored. I became involved after finding an advertisement in the newspaper about YAG and getting in contact to get an application. I hope I help contribute positively to youth issues.

Alec Colturi

Where do you volunteer?

Moama/Echuca Border Raiders Soccer Club

I help set up the pitches for the matches. I referee for the under 7s matches and the under 13 matches. I attend trainings and help out the coach.

Why do you volunteer?

I thought of volunteering here because I love soccer and I've spent about 12 years of my life at this club.

What do you get out of volunteering?

I felt really happy for assisting in making these matches take place, because a referee is a necessity for the game to occur and in addition I can remember when I played at their age and I remember how happy I was during these games.

Thomas Jeffreys

Where do you volunteer?

Moama Football Netball Club (boundary umpire, help with admin paperwork and helping coach junior football).

Why do you volunteer?

I do this work because I want to grow the sport and get more kids involved and playing football, especially the girls who only have one team at Moama. I would like to change this by promoting the sport and getting more boys/girls to come and try days and then to training sessions. I started to be involved because football is my passion and I wanted to help the club with making more teams and helping the local community with making the sport stronger.

Kajini Karunanayake

Where do you volunteer?

St Vinnies

What do you do?

Sort out clothes and other equipment that are donated to the shop and help keep the shop in place.

Why do you volunteer?

I get a better understanding of what the environment of a workplace might be as well as providing myself with a sense of purpose, that I am doing something for my community.

Mrs Kirrilee Westblade

Where do you volunteer?

I volunteer at a few different places. I am the chair of the Parish Pastoral Council at St Mary’s Church and a representative on their finance committee. I am a volunteer chaplain for Ambulance Victoria for the Loddon Region and I am a volunteer for the Victorian Council of Churches Emergency Management Taskforce in Victoria.

What do you do?

In my role at St Mary’s I work with lots of people on the strategic plan for the parish. For example at the moment we are looking at ways we can tap into and make the most of the gifts and talents of people in our parish community.

In my role with Ambulance Victoria I am really there just as a companion. In recent times I have spent a lot of time on the phone calling paramedics who are at home in isolation as a result of covid or covid exposure and I just check up on how they are going and see if they need anything.

Why do you do it?

I have always been a volunteer, even when I was a student back in the 80s. I just like being involved in things. I think it’s fun to be part of something that has a purpose and brings people together. I remember my first volunteer role was when I was in Year 9 and I led a group of young people from the Echuca Hard Court Tennis Association to organise and run a disco for the youth of Echuca. It made money for our club and it was fun for all the teenagers who attended!

Clodagh Jeffreys

Where do you volunteer?

Moama Football Club

What do you do?

I am a water carrier, a runner and I help my team train when the coach isn’t there.

Why do you do it?

I started to do this volunteering because I like to help people and I asked the coach if he needed help with anything, he said yes, so I started helping him.

What do you get out of it?

I like to do acts of kindness.

Mr Matthew Scott

Where do you volunteer?

SES, Vision Australia Radio, Rotary Clubs

What do you do?

Admin, floods assistance, read newspapers to vision impaired people over radio, fundraise.

Why do you do it?

I predominantly started volunteering in late high school and have continued since. I volunteer as I believe in social justice and giving back to the community.

What do you get out of volunteering?

Making life better for others... Even those who you might never get to know have been touched by your service or donation.

Mrs Beth Crossman

Where do you volunteer?

Echuca Football Netball Club

What do you do?

Netball committee member (previously football committee member for 20 years+)

Match day secretary for football, assist with player registration and clearances. Assist the secretary.

Have in the past coordinated Thursday night dinner, worked in the canteen.

Why do you do it?

I started to be involved because of my children and husband who became a trainer with the club. I do it because I was always told by my father that to volunteer with an organisation is giving back. I started because I was also supporting my children in being part of community sport. I believe this is very important for them.

What do you get out of volunteering?

Being part of a community such as EFNC has been a major part of my family’s life. My husband and I enjoy the company of other members of the club and we love supporting the young people. Being involved in a community sport is a very valuable experience.

I love it!

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