Maelor Himbury - Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley
Not many people can say they have volunteered for the same organisation for 35 years...
Maelor Himbury can.
A few words come to mind: dedication, commitment, selflessness
Although his volunteering role has progressed within Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley to Secretary and unofficially the ‘workday organiser’, Maelor jokes he hasn’t picked up many gardening skills. Perhaps we should add ‘modest’ onto the word list above.
Having seen an ad in the local paper when he moved to Melbourne, he put his hand up to don the gardening gloves and churn the soil.
Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley was formed in 1986 which was when Maelor joined. Their mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the river and valley parklands in the area.
Maelor shares more of his volunteering journey...
Describe a typical day/shift in your volunteer role:
I get up at 5:30am, make breakfast then settle down to copy and paste news links to send to environment groups and human rights organisations.
On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, I get to the worksite around 9:30. We work on planting, weeding, mulching and/or watering until 11am when we have a break for morning tea. At this time I usually do the paperwork (sign-in sheet). The workgroup usually ends about 12 and we head home for lunch. These days in the afternoon I usually do jobs around the house and catch up with more emails.
What do you enjoy about volunteering and why is volunteering important to you?
It's good to feel that you are doing something you think is important.
What is your top tip for someone thinking about volunteering?
Don't just think about it - do it!
What is your most memorable experience volunteering?
I was helping to build a bird shelter when a beam landed on my head.
Fortunately it didn't hit anything vital. Safety has improved a lot since then.
What have you learned about yourself and your community through volunteering?
I get very frustrated about not being able to get more people to volunteer. I've also learnt that the best volunteers are not necessarily the ones with the most ability - the best volunteers are the ones who turn up regularly and do the job.
Is there anything else you would like to share about being a volunteer?
If you have the time - volunteer. It's one of the best and most satisfying things you can do with your life.
Volunteer with Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley:
E-mail: info@fmvonline.com or maelor@melbpc.org.au
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