Waitaki says cheers to volunteers

Published on 23 June 2023

Waitaki’s Cultural Facilities held their annual morning tea this week to thank all the volunteers who donate their time and talents towards keeping Council public facilities ticking.

In total across the Cultural Facility sites, volunteers have provided over 2065 hours of their time this year. 

Cultural Facilities Administration Officer Philippa Elliffe says “We are so thankful to have such dedicated teams of volunteers at the Forrester Gallery and Waitaki Museum & Archive! From transcribing records in the Archive to providing a warm welcome and wonderful customer service on the Gallery and Museum front desks, our volunteers are such an important part of our teams. At the Gallery we have four custodians who also volunteer their time on the committee of the Friends of the Forrester, helping us run exhibition openings and events – a special mention to Heather Machin, Brian Robinson, Margie MacDonald, and Yvonne Gillespie”. 

As Forrester Gallery educator Liz King commented, “Our volunteers add colour, enthusiasm, and warmth to the Gallery whether they are on the front desk or helping at an event. They give our small team strength!”

Ōamaru Opera House Director Frances McElhinney agrees, saying "volunteers keep our engines going, we value their hardy sense of humour, hard work, dedication and willingness to work – sometimes long late nights – they are admirable and a great addition to our team at the Opera House."

Making sure there is access to quality library services across the whole Waitaki District is crucial and volunteers are a key part in making this happen. Jenny Bean, Library Manager for Waitaki District Libraries says, “The Waitaki District Community Libraries at Ōtematata, Ōmārama, Kurow and Hampden are kept open by an awesome team of volunteers who give up their time to support their community.  We are hugely appreciative of the commitment and hard work of all the library volunteers – they are fantastic!”. Volunteers at Ōamaru Library help with a range of library duties including getting all the returned books back on the shelves in the right place – an essential job in a library.

Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu – National Volunteer Week, 18-24 June 2023, honours the collective energies and mana of volunteers in Aotearoa.