Volunteers making their mark

Wed, May 04 2011

National Volunteers Week is set to be celebrated appropriately in the Northern Territory this year, when more than 1200 volunteers will gather to offer their help at the 2011 Arafura Games.

Volunteering SA & NT Chief Executive Officer Evelyn O’Loughlin said having the biennial sporting event and National Volunteers Week in the same week was a “great way to celebrate the contribution volunteers make to our community”.

“They (the volunteers) might think it’s a small thing, but their help and effort builds up to a big movement – their gift of time and talent is incredibly valuable for the Games and is important to recognize their work,” she said.

Mrs O’Loughlin said she was “excited to see more than 1200 people come together for the Arafura Games to give something back to their community”.

“I guess they wouldn’t do it if they couldn’t see the value of supporting such a great event which brings Nik Quatermass, 13, said he was excited to be volunteering as a ticket runner in his first Arafura Games.

“My friends were talking about getting involved and I thought it was a great thing to do – something I haven’t done before,” the Year-8 student said.

“Volunteers are important; they help by being part of the team that makes everything come together.”

Since the inception of the Arafura Games in 1991 thousands of volunteers have helped behind the scenes, at food stalls and information booths, sports venues and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.