Mowing volunteers in Bundaberg helping their veteran mates
If there is a soundtrack to summer in Australia, it may well be the roar of the lawn-mower as it turns that grass into lawn.
In Bundaberg, Queensland, a local volunteer crew, organised by the local RSL Sub-branch, is providing a valuable service to help veterans while they await the outcomes of claims for assistance with yard maintenance services.
The program exemplifies the supportive and selfless attitude of veteran volunteers.
Since it started two years ago, the crew has mowed hundreds of lawns and put a smile on the faces of those receiving the service.
Bundaberg RSL Sub-branch Secretary Dannielle Brearley said the volunteers take time out of their day during the summer months, slogging it out in the Bundaberg heat.
‘Our boys do it because these are fellow veterans in need,’ she says.
One of those volunteers is Army veteran and Sub Branch member Malcolm Jeffrey.
‘I’ve got a volunteer mentality,’ Malcom says. ‘When I was working, my wife and I used to volunteer on cattle stations out west. We’ve always done volunteer work, so this was a natural progression.
‘There are six of us who are mowing at the moment. We’re all well past retirement age and we look after yards for people who cannot look after it themselves. It’s a service we feel quite happy providing.’
For fellow volunteer, Army veteran and Sub-branch member Paul Sullivan, the interaction he has with other veterans through the program makes all the hard work worth it.
‘I look forward to assisting other veterans in maintaining their gardens. It gives me a sense of fulfilment and purpose,’ Paul says.
‘Some people can’t physically go into their yards anymore and keep them to a reasonable standard. We’re not perfect either, but when we leave you can certainly see that we’ve been there, and that we’re appreciated.
‘We speak to veterans, have a friendly chat and sometimes share a cool drink. We can also have a bit of an informal welfare check and report back if we think they need extra assistance.’
Heather Mackenzie-Scott’s yard has been on the receiving end of the mowing program. She finds the service hugely beneficial.
‘Even when it has been raining here for nearly two weeks and the grass is really thick, they don’t shirk their responsibilities – they come in to mow and whipper-snip and have a chat,’ Heather says.
As demand for the mowing program continues to grow in Bundaberg, Heather would like to see more volunteers like Malcolm and Paul in veterans’ yards.
‘These volunteers are absolutely wonderful, and they treat you really well. I think every veteran should get involved in their local Sub-branch,’ she says.
So in the lead-up to Christmas, a big ‘Thank You’ shout-out to the current Bundaberg crew of Paul Sullivan, Patrick Louge, Malcolm Jeffries, Russell Kilpatrick, Bruce Austin and Tim Astles.
For more on this story - and to watch the video - visit the RSL Queensland website.
Image L–R: Paul Sullivan, Don Porch, Nolene Porch and Malcom Jeffrey