Debbie Adam, Volunteer of the Month, is a busy person, with a full-time job and a passion to help out by volunteering. For recognition of her work with Friends of the Opera House and the Bushy Park Trust, Debbie received a certificate and badge from Sandra Rickey, Volunteer Whanganui manager, and a $40 voucher, courtesy of Mud Ducks Cafe.
By day, Debbie is business support administrator for WSP (formerly Opus, formerly Ministry of Works), but since 2014 she has also donated her time freely to Friends of the Opera House. She is their committee secretary and a member of the three-person team responsible for compiling rosters of volunteer staff for Opera House shows and events.
Working in the Opera House is always something she wanted to do, says Debbie. "I'm quite keen to preserve what we've got ... and give back to the community.
"The building had a lot to do with it, but I also wanted to make my time available for the shows. It's something I've thought about for quite a while."
Debbie has a connection with Margaret Johnson of the AAPNZ [Association of Administrative Professionals New Zealand] who is also a long term volunteer with Friends of the Opera House and currently their president.
"We have so many volunteers out there in the community that do an amazing job." Debbie says they never have any trouble finding people for jobs when they organise rosters. "We have the backstage crew ... there's such a diverse range of skills."
She considers it an honour to be able to work in the "grand old lady" in St Hill St. She remembers a show put on by a local primary school, and watching parents and family arrive, many of whom had never had cause or means to attend anything in the Opera House before, and hearing their gasps of pleasure at seeing the impressive interior.
"Also, volunteering there has opened my eyes to some of the talent we've got in Whanganui." She specifically referred to "Mama Mia", as presented by Whanganui High School. "I wanted to volunteer every night." But she has also attended shows she would never otherwise have seen, and thought, "Wow!"
Debbie says there's a social aspect to volunteering there, in that she sees people coming to the shows, people she hasn't seen in a while.
"I'm also on the Bushy Park Trust.
Years ago, when her son was still at school, he used to help with the bird translocations organised by the late farmer and conservationist, Allan Anderson. "And Bushy Park is just beautiful. An opportunity came up through the AAPNZ where they were looking for somebody to take the minutes."
She says they have more than 200 people they can call on to volunteer at Bushy Park. "They inspire me."
Both the Royal Whanganui Opera House and Bushy Park Tarapuruhi are always in need of volunteers for the many jobs required to keep them going.
If you think you have something to offer, sign up at Volunteer Whanganui and ask if you could be of service.
