Traditions often run in families. For Megan Gaukroger, her family have a long line of volunteering and service to the community going back several generations.
The local Inverell resident says that other family members ingrained in her from a young age the importance of giving back, a cause she has taken up with relish.
“My dad, who has sadly passed away, used to joke that we Gaukroger’s come from a long line of volunteers and community service members,” Megan said.
“It really came down from my great grandfather. The Inverell Homes for the Aged, the retirement community over the river, my grandfather and one of his best friends who he saved during the war, built those from scratch, donating their time, and threw down $50,000 of their own money to get those up.”
According to Megan, volunteering has always been part of her family in some form or another. Her grandmother used to clean the church, her grandfather was in Rotary, and her great grandfather was on the Repatriation Committee after the war to name just a few.
She says volunteering is second nature in her family and has “been in the blood for a long, long time.”
Volunteering from a young age
While Megan can’t pinpoint the exact moment she decided to start volunteering, she says it was from “an early age” and followed through her schooling at Holy Trinity Catholic School.
As an adult, she has given her time to many different organisations, from the Inverell Community Gardens and the local Lions Club to Toastmasters and Legacy.
About six weeks ago, Megan was appointed as the new national volunteer coordinator and New England Northwest Ambassador for Migraine Australia, a national patient advocacy organisation devoted to supporting all Australians living with migraine and their families.
The cause is near and dear to her heart, as she lives with Hemiplegic Migraine, a rare subtype of migraine that can cause debilitating stroke-like symptoms.
“When I found out they wanted me to be the national volunteer coordinator and New England Northwest Ambassador for Migraine Australia, it was around the time of the NFL draft in the United States; I was live streaming the draft, had no sleep, but being the volunteer I am, I said yeah sure,” Megan said.
“I’m loving it. I’m a little overwhelmed at times, but they are a great team. Migraine is my bag; Migraine Australia is at the forefront of my volunteering.”
Legacy’s 100 Year Celebration leaves lasting memories
Fond memories often accompany volunteering: a person helped, a worthy cause championed, or even a life saved. For Megan, a highlight of her volunteering came when veteran charity Legacy turned 100 years old last year.
The Legacy Torch Relay came through Inverell, and she had the “honour of being a torch relay volunteer,” who accompanied one of the torch bearers in the relay.
“It was significant because during the Sydney Olympics, my brother and I lived in Sydney. He was a surf lifesaver on Coogee Beach at the time, and he got to be in a surf boat and take the Olympic Torch from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach the day before the Olympics started,” Megan said.
“Even though in this instance, it wasn’t the Olympic Torch, being involved with the Legacy Torch Relay here in town, it was very special, and something I’m very proud to have been involved in.”
Megan says her involvement had extra meaning due to her family’s “long history of war service:” her great grandfather in World War I, grandfather and uncles in World War II, and even younger members of the family in the modern era.
If not me, who? If not now, when?
People have different motivations for donating time to the community. Megan says her rationale for giving back, aside from her family tradition, comes from wise words she carries around with her.
“I have a little card, with a quote from Emma Watson, who played the character Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, and it says, if not me, who? If not now, when? If I don’t, who will?” she said.
“I’ve always believed I have been very blessed in my life, even with my medical issues, so why not give back a little because I can; if I don’t, who will? Waiting for someone to volunteer might take months or years. If I can help now, why not?”
This week across New England make sure to thank any volunteers you see. From May 20 to May 26, it’s National Volunteer Week, a time to recognise all the people who give up their time for others in the community.
Megan says it’s the perfect time to show appreciation for people who give up their time without hope of reward and to take up a cause.
“If you know a volunteer, thank a volunteer. I know volunteers don’t do it to get thanks and kudos, or fame and glory, but it’s just nice to get a thank you because we do appreciate it, knowing that we have completed a job well done,” she said.
“There are so many organisations crying out for volunteers, whether it’s the local sporting team or community gardens; now is the time to get involved.
“If you have the passion and the drive, and there’s no group in your community that aligns with your interests, consider starting one yourself. You might be surprised at how many people are waiting for someone to take the lead,” Megan added.
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