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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-13 Daily Xml
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National Volunteer Week

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:45): Next week is National Volunteer Week, and today I welcome the opportunity to shine a light on the wonderful contribution made by volunteers across South Australia, in particular in my electorate of Torrens. This year's theme is 'Recognise. Reconnect. Reimagine.'

It is a reality that those who volunteer in our community give something of themselves that is precious: their time—hours of it over days, weeks, months and years, and each and every hour is given freely often not without personal sacrifice. COVID-19 has impacted the volunteering sector substantially, with many unable to volunteer due to restrictions, vulnerability or circumstance. I am pleased that most organisations have been able to welcome their volunteers back in a safe way, but it is not a time to be complacent, so I encourage all to continue to operate under the current COVID-safe guidelines.

It is important that we acknowledge the generosity of our volunteers and their value to our community, so today I thank all the volunteers in our local schools—in classrooms, libraries, on working bees, supporting sports teams and school excursions and camps, and the many other jobs they carry out. I thank the parents who serve on the school governing councils of Avenues College and Hillcrest, Klemzig, Hampstead, Dernancourt, Vale Park and Wandana primary schools.

I also thank the parent committees and governing boards of North East Community Children's Centre; Avenues College Children's Centre; the Klemzig, Hampstead and Holden Hill kindergartens; and our Catholic and Independent schools—Kildare College, St Paul's College, St Pius X School, St Martin's, Pinnacle College and Heritage College.

I thank also the volunteers at Northfield Meals on Wheels located in Oakden, some of whom have been preparing and delivering meals in our community for decades. I have volunteered with these amazing people, many in their 70s and 80s, who volunteer regularly on a weekly basis. Not only do these volunteers deliver meals but, to many people who live on their own, these wonderful volunteers are the only real regular contact they have with another person.

I thank the many dedicated parents and grandparents, and other members of our community, who coach, umpire, manage, administrate and serve on the committees of our local sports teams—those at Gaza Sports and Community Club, North Eastern MetroStars Soccer Club, North Adelaide Rockets Basketball Club, Adelaide City Football Club, Greenacres Tennis Club, North Eastern Knights Cricket Club, Northgate Community and Sports Club, Windsor Calisthenics Club, Eastern Districts Netball club, and all the other clubs—and all who volunteer in their canteens, washing uniforms, chauffeuring team members to matches, cooking barbecues and fundraising.

I thank also the Lions Club of Gilles Plains (of which I am a member) who work hard to raise funds dedicated to helping our community. They have committed to sponsoring a student's participation in Operation Flinders, and they sponsor two children through World Vision in Tanzania and Sri Lanka. They are life members of the Australian Cranio-Maxillo Facial Foundation, having sponsored a child from Malaysia for a full facial reconstruction. They also recently hosted the Lions Skin Cancer Screening bus in the car park outside my electorate office.

Thank you to the Gilles Plains and Hampstead RSLs, which have a long history of serving our defence community and providing meals and recreational activities for returned service members and their families, as well as other members of our community. Thank you to the incredible volunteers at North East Community House, which assists in delivering great programs to our community, including many who are amongst the most vulnerable.

Thank you to Wandana Community Centre, where respecting people from a diversity of backgrounds, cultures and genders is a focus while delivering their valuable programs. Thank you to the Northgate Oakden Residents Association, which provides a voice for local residents. I also thank the Regency Community Men's Shed volunteers. The shed itself is a result of the former Labor government's Fund My Neighbourhood program. Both men and women work on individual community-based projects to benefit our shared community.

Thank you to the incredibly skilled volunteers at Technology for Ageing and Disability, who use their skills creating, modifying and repairing devices where there is no other solution readily available to improve the quality of life for people with disability. Thank you to our volunteer-run Neighbourhood Watch programs—Klemzig, Windsor Gardens, Dernancourt and Walkerville—for bringing residents and police together to resolve local issues and helping create connected communities, reduce crime and build safer streets.

Thank you to our local 1st Hillcrest Scout Group and Girl Guides, run by volunteers who are helping young people develop lifelong skills to grow in confidence and gain valuable leadership and team skills. Thank you to the Molinara Social and Sports Club, a place for families to meet and where the traditions and customs of Molinara can be taught to their children.

Thank you to the Royal Society for the Blind volunteers, in particular the Royal Society for the Blind guide dog volunteers, who may be puppy educators, bed and breakfast or emergency boarding hosts. You all do an amazing job in raising these dogs to assist those with vision impairment as well as our veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Thank you to our multicultural communities, in particular members of our Indian community, who have worked throughout COVID supporting members of the community.

I understand that I am running out of time but, finally, thank you to the individuals who volunteer their own time through my office delivering information and community newsletters, assisting with Clean Up Australia Day, sewing quilts and cushions and knitting and crocheting blankets for those less fortunate in our community who would otherwise be without. Please know you are all appreciated.

Time expired.

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