Give a little, change a lot is the motto of this year’s National Volunteer Week from 21 to 27 May 2018 and Sapphire Gemfields volunteers are taking the chance to recognise their hardest workers and encourage more people to take up volunteering.
The ‘Who We Are’ community open day from 3.00pm – 5.00pm on Saturday 26 May at Rubyvale Flats, Rubyvale, is held by the Sapphire Gemfields Community Reference Group (CRG) in collaboration with Central Highlands Regional Council.
Cr Megan Daniels said the day will allow local volunteer groups and emergency services to showcase what they do and be recognised and allow people to consider what role they may be able to volunteer in.
‘We all need to do our bit to help make our communities great,’ she said.
‘If you volunteer one hour or one day each year, this contribution, however big or small, makes a difference to the Sapphire Gemfields community.
‘By volunteering you’ll also feel great as you get to socialise with different people whilst achieving something that means a lot and makes life better for many.’
Sapphire Gemfields CRG history, heritage and community representative and long time volunteer Kim Tompson said while there is a strong volunteer community in the Sapphire Gemfields, volunteers are getting older.
‘Community spirit easily gets lost in the business of today but individual volunteers and groups are the backbone of strong and resilient communities,’ she said.
‘I’d really like to get everybody together to see the amazing volunteers we have and be encouraged to start giving a little of their time to the community in whatever capacity they can.’
Council helps fund the event under the 2017-18 Get Ready Queensland Fund to build strong and connected communities that are resilient and responsive to disaster events.
‘Our CRG’s collaboration with council has enormous benefits to the community that are often overlooked,’ Ms Tompson said.
‘We wouldn’t have been able to bring this day on without access to council.
‘This is a little assistance from council to our volunteers that can change a lot in the community when it comes to resilience and community spirit in good and bad times.’
Come along for a family day out and grab a sausage sizzle, giant jumping castle, petting zoo, PCYC laser tag action, and check out the playground recently completed at Rubyvale Flats.
Volunteer groups interested in exhibiting on the day should contact Kim Tompson on 0407 760 001.