A lifetime spent on the line

WAIRARAPA MIDWEEK

Masterton's Val and Kevin Ball love helping others, and over the years have spent a lot of time doing just that.

Recently Val received an award for 40 years' service as a telephone counsellor with Lifeline, an award husband Kevin also received himself last year.

With a combined 81 years' service to Lifeline between them, the couple say they enjoy what they do and don't believe they do anything special.

Kevin says they first became interested in Lifeline when they lived in Whangarei, where there was a "charismatic" clergyman, John Langley, who had started Lifeline in Christchurch.

"I joined and did my training first as we had children and one of us had to be home with them. Val did her training the following year which is why she's a year behind me."

Moving to Wellington and later Masterton, Kevin says they were surprised and delighted to find John Langley, who had been instrumental in their initial involvement with Lifeline, was working as a minister in Carterton.

Kevin says the work with Lifeline hasn't changed much over the years, and it's all about respect, acceptance and confidentiality.

Perhaps what makes Val's and Kevin's commitment to Lifeline so remarkable is the other commitments they have also managed to fit into their busy lives.

As well as raising their three children they have fostered others over the years, and Val has been actively involved in a number of local organisations such as Victim Support, the Unemployed Support Centre and Women's Refuge.

She has also worked with the SPCA for 25 years, and during that time received a number of awards for her work with animals; today she is manager of the Wairarapa branch.

Both Kevin and Val have been involved at committee level with Lifeline.

Kevin, who is now a life member and patron of the Wairarapa branch, has twice been a director and was once the chairman of Lifeline Wairarapa.

Anne Elson, administrator with Lifeline's national office, says they have had a few couples who have done a number of years between them but none who have done so many.

"They are really quite unique."

Val has held a number of roles including vice president, roster secretary and until January this year was main roster secretary.

Over the years Kevin says they have helped train hundreds of people which he says at times can be quite stressful but rewarding.

"It's great because those people then take those skills out into the community and many go on to further education and the skills they have learned are really useful."

Val says their involvement with Lifeline has been a big part of their lives.

"You get at least as much out of it as you put into it, it's not all heavy duty stuff," she says.