THIS week, the Namoi Valley Independent has included a number of stories that have highlighted the importance of volunteers.
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When you live so far away from the state’s capital, it seems the input of your own community cannot be overstated.
We are a long way from the head office of just about anything, but our problems are no smaller than they would be in Sydney or Brisbane.
Gunnedah still has people who need help - whether it be the need for a hot meal once a day, the need to escape domestic violence, or simply the need for some companionship.
While organistations such as Meals on Wheels have operated successfully for many years, times have changed since those first good citizens put a plan into action 50 years ago.
We live in a world where the pace never seems to slacken, where children need their own appointment books and the demands on our time escalate with each new communications device.
The number of volunteers are falling.
And our volunteers are getting older.
While we are all so busy, it is easy to forget that it might soon be our turn to need those services. That one day, we might be the ones sitting in our loungerooms, watching out the window for someone - anyone - to walk up that path.
We might need someone to help us shop or we may need support when we are suffering in the depths of depression.
It is heart-warming to hear that Gunnedah’s Meals on Wheels has the highest number of youth volunteers in the state.
What a fantastic achievement.
This shows the community spirit not only of the young people, but of the older people who have made this option available to them - and taught them to care.
While we run in ever-faster circles to complete our tasks, we are all only getting older. We may all run into hiccups of other kinds that mean we need help.
There are so many, many people that help out in a huge variety of ways in Gunnedah. There are people who help with weekend sport, those who work in op shops, those who help students across crossings... the list is endless.
The point is that it will remain endless. As volunteers move away or retire, more are needed.
The best way to do this is to find something you enjoy and help out. It doesn’t have to be a chore.