Editor Lyndon Keane says the armies of volunteers behind the scenes at our favourite community events, like the incredible Weipa Rodeo committee, deserve to be more substantively recognised for keeping the heart of Cape York beating day in, day out. Photo: Karlene Shephard Photography.
There’s a well-known saying that without trucks, Australia stops. The same thing could be said of communities across Cape York when it comes to volunteers.
On the back of National Volunteer Week from 19-25 May, I thought it time we put our local volunteers under the microscope to consider the impact their contributions really have on life in one of the most geographically vast parts of the country.
This year’s theme of Connecting Communities is particularly fitting for us, given just how much volunteers do to bring us together, both literally and metaphorically.
According to Volunteering Australia, the peak body for all things volunteering, doing so “creates lasting relationships that enrich lives and strengthen communities”, while those actually doing the hard work experience a boosted sense of community engagement, connection and belonging. It’s a spot on assessment, however, it echoes as a bit warm and fuzzy, and touchy feely for many of our volunteer heroes and how improved our communities are for having them around.
You’ve only got to flick through the pages of today’s paper to meet some of our Cape York volunteers, but the reality is that if we did a profile on all of you, this edition would run to about 400 pages – that’s how prolific you are, and how phenomenal your work is.
Think of your favourite Cape York event. The Weipa Rodeo? Volunteers. The Cooktown Discovery Festival? Volunteers. The Weipa Fishing Classic, Weipa Running Festival or annual Laura Races, Rodeo and Campdraft more to your liking? Yup, you guessed it. Volunteers. But it isn’t just our headline community events that are made possible by an army of volunteers pulling strings behind the scenes. Have you ever needed a hand from the State Emergency Service, rural firies or the guys and girls crewing our marine rescue vessels? More volunteers, but ones prepared to put their lives on the line to make Cape York a safer place.
The one thing most serial volunteers have in common is that they prefer to remain in the shadows, quietly going about their business without fanfare or kudos. That’s a good thing, because volunteers are the ones the rest of us are usually quick to forget about when we’re enjoying the fruits of their blood, sweat and tears. Too often, we will pass through the entry gate and not give a moment’s thought to how much work it took to put an event on, get a community project across the line or have local emergency responders trained up for when the proverbial hits the fan.
Our volunteers come in a diverse range of ages, shapes and sizes from an even more eclectic offering of backgrounds and experiences, but no matter what they look like, they all seem to have these monstrous hearts and an apparent inability to say no to helping out just that bit more.
I’m lucky in this job, because I get to see behind the curtain of most events of community significance and walk amongst the volunteers as they do their thing. I’m not going to lie – it’s pretty bloody awe inspiring, and definitely makes you question how much you’re contributing yourself.
If you are one of our incredible volunteers, thank you on behalf of every one of us who calls Cape York home, as well as the procession of tourists who head north annually to experience the lifestyle and unique events that are only possible because of your selflessness or dedication.
If you aren’t a volunteer, but are keen to get involved to make your community a better place to work and play, all you have to do is leap headlong into the unknown and ask. Someone will find a job – usually more than one – for you in any of our clubs, groups, teams or organising committees.
