By Tyler Wright
Long-time volunteer at the Monbulk Care Network, Andrew Whiteley, is hanging up his boots after 25 years of service to the community.
Andrew, 86, was a member of The Patch Church of Christ, which ran the op shop, when he decided to give his time to the organisation that helps with food, vouchers and showers for those in need.
“As soon as I was no longer working full time, I decided to volunteer,” Andrew said.
“I became a member and I saw the op shop as a natural living out of my Christian beliefs.
“The Monbulk Care Network at that time was located in a small shop opposite the newsagents in Monbulk, which was a rented property.”
In the early days of his time volunteering, Andrew said the small amount of volunteers at the shop would do “everything” that was needed to be done; including sorting donations.
“If you needed to bag it up to go to rags, you did it, if you needed to hang it out in the shop, you did it.” he said.
“I enjoy meeting people, so when I had the opportunity I would sit at the front desk and take several things to the people.
“It was satisfying from two points of view; the first was that I felt I was giving back, I was stopping stuff going to the tip, [and] it was a way I was living out the things I believed in.”
He said he has gotten to know not only the people who work in the shop, but the customers who have visited throughout the years.
“I’ve gotten to know them not as friends but as familiars over the years. Then they come in and I’m able to greet them as someone who knows them.
“One of the comments that’s often passed around the shop from both customers and volunteers who work here is what a happy place it is to work.
“It’s the respect which people show for each other and the fact that most of us generally like each other… I like the people I work with; it’s a place I like to come to work.”
Andrew’s decision to step down from his volunteer role at the organisation comes with feeling tired as he gets older, and difficulty concentrating on complex situations and customer interactions.
“[I’ve learned] the vast majority of people are nice; people are good and kind to each other, both customers and the staff,” he said.
“If you smile at someone, you almost always get a smile in return, so life is much better if you smile.”
At an annual Christmas lunch on Sunday 10 December at the Monbulk Bowling Club, Andrew was farewelled by the community.
His message to volunteers is that the role is a “job worth doing”.
“We provide a really valuable service to the community…we don’t only have the shop, we also have the pantry where people can come and help themselves to free food.
“My message for the community is: we need more volunteers.. it’s particularly difficult at the moment because so many people have two both members of the family working full time, so it’s difficult for people to find the time to volunteer.
“For anyone who has the time, it’s a very fulfilling job.”
