Zizi Sparks: Volunteers keep the wheels turning

As most community sport leagues resume, spare a thought for the volunteers who make it happen. Photo / File

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It is easy to have your weekend consumed by sport.

There may be kids' or friends' games to watch, your own to play and national or international matches to tune into in the evening.

After delays due to the Covid-19 lockdown many sports have resumed or are set to this weekend. What better way to get back out and about in the community, network and support local than down at the netball courts or local rugby club?

But as parents and kids hit the fields, so too will referees, coaches and managers.

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Every year, thousands of volunteers contribute millions of hours to sport in the Bay of Plenty and many of those will be out in force on sports grounds region-wide.

According to the Active NZ Survey 2013/14, there were 57,000 sport and recreation volunteers in Bay of Plenty who contributed seven million hours worth $100 million to the sector. Some of them are featured in the paper this week.

This week, National Volunteer Week, is all about giving them, and other volunteers, the credit they deserve.

Volunteers are the backbone of not only local sport, but the community and are hidden away in virtually every part of the community.

From the Catfish Killas working to remove the pest fish from the lakes to those volunteering to man the Hospice shops and Salvation Army stores or to pick up donated goods and others helping the Department of Conservation keep our reserves in good nick.

Volunteers keep the region ticking and are often happy to work tirelessly in the background to provide opportunities for others for little in return.

So this week if you pop into your local second-hand store, if you walk a Department of Conservation track, or head to a sports game, spare a thought for those who keep the wheels turning, make sure you say thank you, and if you've got the time to spare, why not volunteer yourself.