Volunteer call out

By Lia Bichel
CASEY residents wanting to lend a helping hand are encouraged to become volunteers.
This year is the International Year of Volunteers +10, reprising the original International Year of Volunteers celebrated in 2001.
City of Casey mayor Shar Balmes encouraged residents to take this year to learn more about the volunteering opportunities available in Casey and to give something back to their community.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of our community. In my role as mayor, one of the greatest privileges I have is to work with the dedicated range of volunteers who give so much and ask for nothing in return,” she said.
Cr Balmes said volunteers and volunteer groups can also take advantage of the City of Casey Volunteer Matcher Program which is an easy to use automated web-based program helping to connect people with local groups needing volunteers.
Volunteers can use the program as a quick-and-easy tool to register their details through the City of Casey website and can change or remove details at any time.
Just fill out a checklist of skills that best suit your experience and the way you wish to volunteer.
The City of Casey monitors registrations and reserves the right to delete registrations containing false or misleading information.
“This is a wonderfully simple way for local groups to find volunteers and for volunteers to find the right group for them,” Cr Balmes said.
“Volunteers contribute so much to our community, and anything that council can do to make volunteering opportunities more accessible is a good thing for all of us.”
Residents interested in volunteering locally can find out more information by visiting www.casey.vic.gov.au/about volunteering. Alternatively, you can sign up to the Casey Volunteer Matcher Program at www.casey.vic.gov.au/volunteermatcher. To register, visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/volunteermatcher