Volunteering – Moments that Matter
As part of our 40 Acts of Kindness initiative, and in celebration of Good Deeds Day on April 29th, we are shining a spotlight on something close to our hearts: volunteering.
Many members of the Best Lives team give their time, skills and compassion to causes that matter deeply to them. From community gardens and disability recreation to animal welfare, emergency relief and community choirs, their stories show just how many ways there are to make a difference.
Volunteering strengthens communities, builds meaningful connections, and enriches our lives. We hope by sharing these stories we will inspire others to explore volunteering opportunities and experience how rewarding it can be. Whether it’s an hour a week or a larger commitment, every act of service creates ripples of positive change.
If you’re considering volunteering, we encourage you to explore opportunities through Volunteering WA.
Our Team’s Volunteering Stories
Helping Wherever Help Is Needed
Bo’s volunteering journey has included roles with St John Ambulance in York. Page as an emergency trainee, CALM as a wildlife carer, the RSPCA, and Possum Valley Farm Sanctuary. Most recently, Bo has also enlisted as a volunteer cook for Emergency Relief, helping feed firefighters and fellow volunteers during crisis situations.
A consistent lesson across all of Bo’s experiences is that volunteer organisations simply could not do what they do without the generosity of people willing to give their time and step up in times of crisis. Bo said, “I volunteer because I always like helping others and especially caring for people and animals.” Bo’s volunteering philosophy is wonderfully simple: “I’d do it again.”
A Lifetime of Giving Back
Liz has been volunteering since she was 6 years old and has never really stopped. Her journey began visiting a local nursing home with her mum and Girl Guides troupe, bringing handmade flower posies and companionship to residents.
Today, Liz serves on her children’s school P&F committee, volunteers in the school canteen, organises a local Clean Up Australia Day group each year, participates in tree planting projects in Katanning, and supports the local Girl Guides by helping them harvest mulberries and make jam for their families. Liz also volunteers with the Rogaining Association at events and regularly donates unwanted items to charities to keep them out of landfill.
One experience that stayed with Liz was sharing leftover office fruit with two men experiencing homelessness in Parramatta. Their gratitude, and the reality that poor dental health prevented them from eating apples, left a lasting impression. It ultimately inspired Liz to advocate for better dental health access and to serve on a government panel helping shape a children’s dental health program.
For Liz, volunteering is fun, rewarding and deeply ethical.
Growing Community, One Garden at a Time
Melanie’s volunteer work began with a simple goal: growing free, organic vegetables for everyone to enjoy, and that vision ended up blossoming into the thriving Hillarys Community Garden!
As soon as Melanie started the community garden it attracted support from local businesses and community members who donated everything needed and got involved. For Melanie, the most rewarding moments were seeing people light up when they realised, they had helped grow something with their own hands and taking fresh veggies home with them.
Even though Melanie moved away five years ago, the garden is still going which goes to show that when you start something good and let people share the responsibility it can always keep growing.
Movies, Horses and Fundraising
Nicki volunteers with Telethon Community Cinemas in support of HorsePower Hills. Every shift at the movies contributes directly to the cause, and approximately $1,000 flow back to HorsePower Hills at the end of the season. But the rewards extend well beyond the fundraising.
Nicki has found an incredible community of like-minded people at the movies. Each night is filled with teamwork, laughter, chatter and the simple joy of contributing to something meaningful. Nicki has a formula for volunteering now: generosity + kindness = changed lives.
Finding Harmony in Community
Katrina volunteers as co-director, conductor and singer with a community choir that welcomes everyone regardless of their age, background or level of experience (some members had only ever sung in the shower before joining).
After many years as a member of Providence Gospel Choir, the opportunity to lead fell in her lap. While initially daunting, it was an easy decision because the choir had long been a source of joy, gratitude and fortitude for her and Katrina wanted to ensure that experience continued for herself and others.
An especially memorable moment came while conducting a challenging and deeply moving song. Hearing the choir’s voices blend and swell and watching the chorists radiated joy, passion and conviction filled Katrina with pride in the singers and the community they had built together – one where everyone could use their voices and feel supported. For Katrina, volunteering is all about courage, creativity and community.
Discovering Joy Through Disability Recreation
Sometimes the best opportunities are the unexpected ones and Georgia’s volunteering journey began almost by accident. After being asked to fill in as a support person on a trip to Margaret River, Georgia discovered a new passion – disability recreation. “I loved it so much, I continued doing the recreation trips for the next two years.”
What started as a one-off experience turned into two years of volunteering on recreation trips, accompanying people with disability on tailored excursions designed to be fully accessible, engaging, and supportive. Through these experiences, Georgia came to appreciate the incredible abilities, patience, curiosity and sense of fun and excitement each person brought on their adventures.
Georgia gained so much from every trip. Her deeply rewarding experiences have given her not only unforgettable memories, but also a fresh perspective on the joy that comes from connection, adventure and shared experiences.
Leadership Through Service
Sue’s was inspired to volunteer by the example of others – members who freely and selflessly give their time to support activities for their club. In that spirit, Sue stepped up to be Volunteer Coordinator for a marathon club event, guiding a team of 20 volunteers
For Sue, giving back to her club creates a camaraderie that strengthens the community and brings greater benefit to all members. The experience highlighted the responsibility, trust and organisation that goes into volunteering.
Why Volunteering Matters
These stories remind us that volunteering takes many forms, but the rewards are universal. It builds confidence, creates friendships, strengthens communities, and gives us the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.
At Best Lives, we’re proud to celebrate the volunteers in our team and all the wonderful organisations they support.
As we continue our 40 Acts of Kindness throughout 2026, we’ll be sharing more small ways we try to make a difference, one act of kindness at a time.
Follow our socials and join us on the journey.