This morning I had the pleasure of attending the Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre (EVRC) National Volunteer Week celebrations held at Federation Estate in Ringwood.

The Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre was formed in 1976 and is a non-profit organisation which provides training to volunteers and support for people in need within Maroondah and Whitehorse and the Yarra Ranges.

It was wonderful to see in excess of thirty volunteers partaking and enjoying the festivities. The importance of volunteers within our community can never be underestimated. While one-off events like the Commonwealth Games may highlight the enormous contribution made by volunteers it is the continued efforts and contributions of ongoing volunteers that make a long-lasting improvement to our community.

Many organisations and managing committees speak of the difficulty in recruiting new volunteers which can create significant difficulties in ensuring their continued growth and provision of services. It is imperative that as a community we involve ourselves within our society and relish the opportunity to volunteer our time and services for worthy causes.

The EVRC will shortly be celebrating its 30th birthday and while the next 30 years will no doubt present many challenges it will be the strength of the organisation and its volunteers that will see it continue forward.

For more information on the Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre (EVRC) please visit www.easternvolunteers.org.au.