After spending nearly 15 years raising more than $80,000 for local charities, Drayton Villas’ Noreen Doran is still amazed by the generosity of others.
“We’re all on fixed incomes so we don’t have money to waste, yet the people in this village are so generous,” she said.
“I’d have people coming to me saying, ‘I won’t be here for the next event but here’s $50 to put aside for them’.”
Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt said the skills and experiences of older Australians were essential in supporting positive communities.
“Every day, across this nation, our older people are helping to build better communities and their contribution means we will all enjoy a better, kinder and more cohesive society,” he said.
Noreen agrees, saying the ease of village living meant people could be more generous with their time and money—as shown by the enthusiastic support for the many fundraising events she’s held throughout the years.
“Now we’re all retired, I think we all want to give back to the community,” she said.
“And I think that’s the way it should work, too.”
For Newling Gardens’ Eileen Brennan, who ran a seven-day mixed business with her late husband for many years, being busy in retirement was simply an extension of her working life.
For a long time, she delivered Meals on Wheels and volunteered at the Red Cross blood bank—and now she’s in poor health, she relies on both.
Yet despite a disability, Eileen still helps out with a craft group and a happy hour at a local nursing home, serves tea and coffee at the local courthouse and provides morning tea for elderly parishioners at the Bishop’s residence. She regularly zips around on Sundays to take residents to church, too.
“I couldn’t just sit and do nothing, I’m afraid,” she said.
“I just think: whenever you’re able, there’s a lot of people a lot worse off than you are.
“If you have free time, give it to somebody.”
Meanwhile, Noreen is enjoying a well-earned rest, with another resident organising fundraisers. Yet one suspects she’ll find plenty of ways to still give back.
“I’ll be the one who’ll hand her the $50 and says, ‘Please put it aside—I won’t be here for the event’.”
