By Aaron Cordy
Volunteering can be a passionate calling or something people stumble upon with little thought other than to help their children and grandchildren make the most of their time at the local sporting clubs. The connection to the community that comes with volunteering can bring about so much positivity and meaning to your life that it can be hard to quantify the rewards gained by helping others.
Marija Matejic began volunteering in the early 1990s in aged care and a little at a local kindergarten, before shifting to palliative care for GV Hospice. As well as volunteering at the hospital talking to patients on the wards and showing them around to their appointments.
“It’s fulfilling and you make a difference in someone’s life. But more so they make a difference to you. So, I feel richer within myself knowing that I’ve met these people,” said Marija on why she has been volunteering for so long.
There’s no limit to the organisations, sporting and community clubs who rely on volunteers to run. Anyone in the community would be a welcomed asset to any group no matter their experience and the amount of time they can offer. There’s no better time to sign up and begin enriching the lives of those in need, and you might find you will gain more than you put in.
For anyone in the community who wants to get involved with one of the many great organisations that need feet on the ground, you can find a list of organisations in the Greater Shepparton Volunteer Manager’s Network at, https://greatershepparton.com.au/community/volunteering/volunteer-opportunities.
