Volunteers unpaid but not unvalued

From left Ted O’Brien; Library convener Nita Lester and volunteer Joyce Simpson.

Mapleton’s Community Library is all about serving the community and that will be even easier thanks to a Federal Government grant recognising the work of local volunteers. 

The library was one of 18 groups across his Sunshine Coast electorate to share in $60,000 from this year’s Volunteer Grants program.

“The work of our volunteers may be unpaid but it is definitely not unrecognised,” said Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien.

“From sporting clubs to service organisations, their contribution brings communities together and helps deliver vital services to those in need. “I am delighted to announce that the Mapleton Community Library has been recognised and will receive $1,180.”

Library convener Nita Lester said volunteers made the library possible.

“We have 46 volunteers, which may seem like a lot but they tend to be older retired people – the eldest is actually 92 – but they’re often going on holidays, they’re often baby sitting or are occasionally ill so the 46 makes it a very relaxing situation and we have a rotation every fortnight,” Dr Lester said.

“With the grant we are going to renew the office chairs and put the rest of the money towards a slimline dishwasher which will add to an upgrade that we’ve just scored through the local Council for new office and kitchen space.

“We have well over 400 members but we also run workshops and children’s story time, art and craft, yoga and we have special book nights, so we probably touch at least 4500 people and that’s right from south through Maleny to Bald Knob out to Kenilworth and to Nambour.

“It is a special library because we own everything and so they do treasure what we have.  We never lose a book, which is quite unusual from what I understand from other libraries, because everybody feels they own it and a lot of our resources are actually donated to us too,” she said.

Volunteer Grants are about supporting the work of volunteers. 

The grants range between $1,000 and $5,000 and help community organisations with a range of needs, including buying equipment, training volunteers or reimbursing volunteers for the cost of fuel or transport.