June 2001 Volume 82 Number 6
"serving the protectors"
The worth of volunteers
By Pastor
Terry R Natt| June 2001 Volume 82 Number 6 "serving the protectors" |
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The worth of volunteers |
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| By Pastor
Terry R Natt |
Do I have a volunteer?” This phrase sends some people running to hide - especially if it’s the boss asking.
But what is a volunteer? It is simply someone who enters into any service, or offers to do something of his or her own free will. Most of us volunteer for many things in our daily routines.
In this International Year of Volunteers, we are encouraged to recognize, celebrate and thank the men and women who volunteer their time and talents to serve others.
In January, the community and district of Coonalpyn rallied together to fight against and protect properties from fires started by lightening strikes.
Apart from the emergency service volunteers many other individuals and groups offered to help in the situation.
Some people volunteered to take care of the children of the emergency service volunteers. Other people prepared food and drinks. Some volunteered their equipment to help extinguish the fires.
Local farmers supported the CFS volunteers as they fought the fires. One could say there were volunteers for every imaginable role.
Communities like Coonalpyn - and other small rural towns - are held together by individuals and groups who volunteer their time and talents to keep towns functioning.
When a community is under threat, individuals “come of the woodwork” and volunteer to do something of their own free will to help remove the threat. I believe this attitude and action is common to all communities, but perhaps more so in small rural ones.
When a community comes together like this, it is something to celebrate. So a celebration was planned to thank all the volunteers in this International Year of Volunteers.
In an expression of thanks to these volunteers, around 200 people came together to celebrate at a free barbecue on April 1.
The celebration was hosted by the Coonaplyn Progress Association and supported by Adelaide, Murray Bridge, Meningie and Coonalpyn businesses.
During the celebration, Senior Police Chaplain David Marr and Hills Murray superintendent, Barry Lewis, inducted me into the role of and service as a police chaplain for the South East, Coorong and District.
In this area, I look forward as a volunteer police chaplain to serving members of the police force.
I also look forward - as a police chaplain - to celebrating both the highs and lows of life that we all go through.
Remember that Jesus was also a volunteer. We are told in Matthew chapter 20, verse 28: “...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
SA Police Chaplains
Welfare Section 58 David Marr 8364 3567 Senior Police Chaplain. Academy 8 Brenton Daulby 8272 8324 Adelaide: Angas Street 158 Bruce Grindlay 8295 2220 Adelaide: Hindley Street 62 Bruce Grindlay 8295 2220 Adelaide Hills Division 54 Adrian Stephens 8398 2510 Office: 8398 2517 Ceduna 214 Sybil Peacock 8625 3505 Christies Beach 20 Peter Coote 8381 3039 0412 818 995 Clare 202 Michael Dutschke 8842 3681 Communications 172 David Hand 8376 5612 Elizabeth 52 Lindsay Mayes 8281 8088 Far North 210 John Folkman 8672 5011 Firearms/Records Dianna Bartlett 8337 8552 Gawler 52 Brian Tscharke 8522 2288 Glenelg 22 Malcolm Thomas 8377 0772 Henley Beach 18 Tim Kowald 8449 6868 Holden Hill 44 Rod Dyson 8365 1170 Kadina 71 Vacant Kingston 208 Mount Gambier 208 Brian Ashworth (w) 8723 1353 (h) 8725 2537 Murray Bridge 200 Malcolm Bottrill 8532 5536 Naracoorte 208 Bruce Cliff 8737 2457 0417 811 702 Norwood 60 Lynton Wade 8362 2227 0418 831 703 Nuriootpa 204 Andy Kowald 8562 1011 Port Adelaide 6 Jeff Oake 8341 5930 Port Pirie 206 Steve Ardill 8632 3977 Prosecution Services 176 Vacant Port Augusta PS 210 Mark Thomas 8642 2487 0401 671 850 Port Lincoln 214 Vacant Riverland 212 Robin Zadow 8588 1540 Salisbury 53 Vacant South East Terry Natt 8571 1114 Sturt 12 Chris Beal 8278 9578 Ian Dempsey 8296 7292 Tea Tree Gully 48 Bob George 8395 9363 Thebarton Barracks 32 Joe Grealy 8338 3225 Transit Division Wayne Shepherd 8443 4895 Whyalla 218 Tony Redden 8649 3593
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