Masterton volunteer workers honoured

THANKS: Wairarapa Community Centre volunteer Vanessa Jibran, centre, receives a certificate from Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson, while Bev Jack, manager of the Wairarapa Community Centre awards, looks on. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA

About 200 volunteers were honoured in Masterton Town Hall on Thursday at an "appreciation morning tea" as part of Volunteer Week. The volunteers were honoured with a roll call and certificates were presented by Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson to one person from each of the 36 organisations represented.

Bev Jack, manager of the Wairarapa Community Centre and the Wairarapa Volunteer Centre, said the turnout yesterday was evidence the district has "a very good community supporting our community".

Gary Caffell, chairman of the Wairarapa Community Centre Trust, said the establishment of the volunteer centre, which links a supply and the need for volunteers, was the fulfillment of Ms Jack's dream. "To see you all here today in such numbers is so good for us."

One of the volunteer groups at the tables was a crew from the Salvation Army Family Store in Masterton. Stephen Richardson said his main days at the centre are Monday and Thursday, but he sometimes comes in on his off-days to stay busy. His work includes "stacking and packing, deliveries and pick-ups, unloading, seeing and talking to people in the community when you're in the community".

Tangiora Paku-Stuart said her "life is changing since I became a volunteer".

"It's full of good ... I never thought that I'd ever work for nothing."

Brenda Scone, another Salvation Army volunteer, was recently treated by her colleagues to a surprise party celebrating her 80th birthday. She has been working at the Salvation Army for at least the past 10 years and said she has "volunteered all my life since I left school" - for different organisations including Red Cross, Civil Defence and the Wairarapa Hospice, from which she has just retired. "When you were growing up, people were doing things for you," Mrs Scone said.