It’s a funny thing about volunteers: they never want to take credit for what they do. (They won’t take cash, either.) But seriously, it’s been a noticeable trend for us in the newsroom as we’ve interacted with those nominated for or winning Hearts of the Community Awards. ‘Who, little ‘ol me? I’m not worthy!’ they all say, pointing to their fellow volunteers or the staff they help out as the more deserving, even when they have decades of local volunteering behind them and glowing recommendations from multiple nominators.
Sometimes it’s tough to interview people like this, because you can’t get them to say great things about themselves. They will talk about how wonderful the organizations they volunteer for are, and how great the people they volunteer to help out are, whether they’re patients at a hospital or theatre-goers. ‘This is about you — it’s your time to shine,’ you want to say. ‘Tell me how great you really are.’
And they really are great, giving heaps of time, effort, and thought to the rest of the community without saving a bit of it for themselves. They are loyal, committed, reliable, warm, friendly, hard-working, difference-making, even if they wouldn’t ever admit to any of it. That’s why we need events like this week’s Hearts of the Community Awards, to applaud for those who are too kind, too generous, to ever shout their own praises. They are worthy, and, at least one day a year, it’s worth our while to tell them that. So, congratulations to all the winners and nominees at the awards, and, indeed, all of the volunteers out here in the Peninsula community. We know how great you all are — don’t you forget it.