National Volunteer Week is an important time for Hobart City Mission (HCM) as we celebrate the hundreds of wonderful individuals who dedicate their time and energy to HCM and their community.
This National Volunteer Week, we’re celebrating the annual Volunteer Morning Tea a little differently.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions, the morning tea will be held online, allowing our volunteers to stay connected during this unique time in our lives. We caught up with some of our awesome vollies this week, to see how volunteering has changed their lives and their communities.
Graeme
Hobart City Mission staff often refer to Graeme as the “office angel”.
He regularly comes to help the fundraising and admin teams at the drop of the hat, putting thank you letters in envelopes, calling donors or helping out with events. He is a jack-of-all-trades and volunteers in all aspects of Hobart City Mission.
Graeme’s working life revolved around working at the University of Tasmania Library. This experience meant he was an amazing fit for the HCM book shop when it was open. Graeme also has a keen eye for antiques and bric-a-brac and often finds incredible donated items and books at the Sorting Warehouse.
Graeme met Lee around 1991, when her husband Arthur came to work at the University Library. Lee and Arthur became great mates with Graeme and his wife, whilst their children often played together.
Graeme was the first to suggest to Lee that she should volunteer with him at HCM, saying that she would like it because it’s just lots of fun.
Graeme loves volunteering with HCM. He enjoys meeting new people and has built some wonderful relationships with volunteers and staff over the years.
For this year’s Volunteer Morning Tea Graeme has admitted he is not usually a morning tea person, preferring a daily coffee and a Friday afternoon glass of wine with his good friend Lee.
Lee
Lee was roped in to volunteering with HCM by Graeme in 2017 and the rest, as they say, is history.
Lee now volunteers in many areas of HCM, from sorting donated items in the Sorting Warehouse, to working in the City Mission Op Shops, as well as the occasional “Office Angel” duties
Graeme and Lee have been great friends for more than 28 years now. One of Lee’s favourite things to do together is walks on South Arm Beach with the dog when they are visiting Graeme’s beach house.
Lee really enjoys volunteering and has dedicated her time to many other organisations over the years, such as Rotary, Second Bite and Meals on Wheels. Lee loves the socialization that volunteering gives her and enjoys the lovely like-minded people she meets. She is a true op shop fanatic and will often keep special items in mind for the regular customers who she knows will love a particular piece of clothing or bric-a-brac.
Lee’s morning tea tastes are similar to Graeme’s – she’s not particularly fond of sweet biscuits of tea but she and her husband love to catch up with Graeme for a late afternoon tipple.
We’d like to thank all of the wonderful volunteers at Hobart City Mission, for their hard work, their passion, and their dedication to helping their community. We would not be able to achieve the work that we do without them. Their commitment and kindness is overwhelming. We love our vollies!
Would you like to register to volunteer with Hobart City Mission?
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