By ALESHA CAPONE
WHETHER she is helping decorate the Williamstown RSL for Christmas or prepare breakfast for ANZAC Day, Judy Harris is constantly helping out the community.
The Williamstown resident is an RSL committee member and welfare officer and she is also co-ordinator of the Timeball Day Club, a group for senior citizens which meets every Wednesday.
In addition, the busy mother-of-two has volunteered with Mercy Health Palliative Care since 2005.
“I do volunteering in homes and carer’s respite, I sit with the patient or take them to a medical appointment or take them out,” Ms Harris said.
“You might be there two or three hours and if you get a smile on their face it makes your day and hopefully theirs.”
Ms Harris’ duties as the Timeball Day Club co-ordinator occupy her for several hours each week.
“The Timeball Day Club at the RSL just had its fifth birthday and I was there from day one,” she said.
“We have coffee and tea, an exercise program set to music, puzzles, entertainment a few days a year, special occasion lunches, Christmas in July and December and when we can afford to, bus trips for a day out and I oversee all that.”
“I’d say the biggest challenge of being a volunteer is finding enough time probably, we do quite a few hours,” she said.
“At Timeball I do around eight hours per week, but at the RSL I couldn’t tell you how many hours I do.”
“I do it because I love it.”
Ms Harris said her favourite part of volunteering was meeting great people.
“You do meet some wonderful characters,” she said.
“I wanted to give something to the community, be part of the community and I’m very much a part of this community.”