Last week was National Volunteer Week as many of you probably know. This year, the theme was ‘Something for Everyone’ which recognises that volunteering attracts a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds with unique skill sets – and each of us has something to give in the myriad of volunteering opportunities available within our communities.

Parklands Albury Wodonga especially wants to thank community members who give their time to assist with projects so that our natural places can be enjoyed now and into the future. Involving the community in the caretaking of our local parks and reserves is central to Parklands’ mission and it’s fantastic to see everyday people passionate about the environment and getting out there to make a difference.

The staff of Parklands also want to say a big thank you to our Board of Directors. Our Directors are all volunteers, collectively providing a diverse mix of skills, experience, and wisdom. Together, our current six Directors have contributed 52 years of service towards leading Parklands through many abundant years (and the occasional storm!), managing strategic risks, and building relationships. We wish to thank the Directors for their strong leadership by taking a long-term approach to debates and decisions, and placing the longer-term outcomes for community and nature at the heart of those decisions. In addition to an Acknowledgement of Country, each Board meeting commences recognising the context, which is, “The times in which we live call on us all to understand that everything we do, and every decision we make, has the power to make a difference.”

So thank you to our volunteers and our Board of Directors and here’s to another year of working together to achieve great things for the environment and the community!