Pam does it to help others, the rest is a bonus

This National Volunteer Week, we are taking a moment to celebrate some of our amazing volunteers at Connect Health & Community.

Pam says volunteering is her life.

Over her years as a volunteer, she has shared the love between Connect Health & Community and other worthy community organisations including Biccy’s Op Shop in Brighton, the Puffing Billy in Belgrave and her local hospital.

If you add up Pam’s years of service at each place, she’s done more than 120 years of volunteering. That doesn’t even count the time she poured into the school canteen when her three kids were growing up!

Pam says she does it because she’s called to help people. But she gets a lot out of it, too.

“My purpose in life is to help people. The friendships I’ve made are a bonus,” said Pam.

Pam started volunteering at Connect Health & Community 18 years ago. Before that, she was a hydrotherapy client and liked it so much she decided to sign up as a volunteer.

At first, she helped out with the sessions and eventually began leading the groups through thephysio-approved hydrotherapy exercises.

“We do it for the exercises, but we also get a catch-up.”

Pam says the volunteering has become a real social outlet for her, and one that allows her to work on her fitness and help others.

“Once, one of the clients in our hydrotherapy groups asked, ‘When are we going to have Christmas dinner?’ and so after that, it became a social thing. It’s about helping people, and it’s also become a social thing for me.”

On top of socialising and supporting her health, Pam’s volunteer work has connected her to a meaningful network of people she can rely on.

“There are people here who I can call whenever I need help. You give and they give back. You benefit from it and they benefit from it.”

Pam volunteers each week in the hydrotherapy pool in Bentleigh East. She continues to attend hydrotherapy sessions as a client at the brand new hydrotherapy pool at the Danny Frawley Centre which she describes as “like a meditation centre”.

Thank you, Pam and our exceptional team of volunteers.

The theme of the 2022 National Volunteer Week is ‘Better Together’.

Our volunteers are valued members of the Connect Health & Community team.

With more than 150 volunteers lending a hand, we couldn’t support our community without them. By giving their time, skills and dedication, our volunteers make a priceless contribution to our community.

For more information on volunteering and how you can sign up, visit https://connecthealth.org.au/about-us/volunteer-with-us/