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Latrobe volunteers thanked with Ding Dong concertMore than four-hundred Latrobe City volunteers were thanked for their hard work and generosity during the year, at a thank-you concert and afternoon tea at Kernot Hall on Wednesday. By Latrobe City Council - 10th June 2005 - Back to News The volunteers undertake a variety of work auspiced by Latrobe City Council with the aged and people with a disability. Their volunteering work involves them with programs such as the delivery of Meals on Wheels and the ‘We Care’ friendly visitor program.
Star of the concert was Gold Logie winner Denise Drysdale whose career spans from days dancing as a three-year-old in 1951. Ms Drysdale claims fame as Australia’s first go-go dancer at age 17, and earned the nickname ‘Ding Dong’ as Ernie Sigley’s barrel girl on ‘The Ernie Sigley Show’ in the 1970s.
Ms Drysdale wooed the appreciative audience at Kernot Hall with nostalgic songs such as ‘The Tennessee Waltz’ and the Satchmo favourite, ‘It’s a Wonderful World’; interspersed with humour, personal anecdotes, and integration with the audience, answering their questions.
In his introduction to the concert and Ms Drysdale, Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Bruce Lougheed, thanked the volunteers once again for sharing their time.
"All the world knows that ‘time’ is a very valuable commodity, yet many people say they never have enough of it. When asked to help out, they make excuses such as ‘I haven’t time for that’," Cr Lougheed said.
"So people who give up their TIME to help others, are giving the most valuable of gifts they could possibly give… ‘their time’. In my eyes that makes them very special people," Cr Lougheed said.
"This concert is Latrobe City’s way of saying thank-you to those special people - the volunteers in our community
"I want to thank you - not just for the fantastic job you have done in the past year, but for freely giving so much of your most valuable time for others
"On behalf of everyone – myself, my fellow councillors, our council officers, and the community at large – thankyou for being so generous," Cr Lougheed said.
During the performance interval the volunteers were served afternoon tea by Latrobe City staff.
Latrobe City’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Buckley, said a number of staff had willingly taken on the role of catering for the volunteers, and also deputising for some Meals on Wheels volunteers to free them from their normal volunteer work so that they could attend the concert.
"Many people within our organisation see the incredible job undertaken by our volunteers on a day-to-day basis. Their dedication improves the quality of life for so many people in our community," Mr Buckley explained.
"I know our own staff join with me in saying we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Latrobe city’s volunteers for the work they undertake throughout the year. This thank-you concert and afternoon tea is our way of showing our appreciation for the fantastic work they do," Mr Buckley said.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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