Volunteer Whanganui manager Sandra Rickey remembers it was David Kirby who suggested — quite some time ago — that it would be nice to recognise a volunteer each month.
She liked the idea and implemented it.
Now it's his turn to get the certificate, the volunteer badge and the $40 voucher from
Mud Ducks cafe, for his work with Zest, City Mission shop, Friendship Lunches and Diabetes NZ, Wanganui Branch.
"I call myself a semi-professional volunteer," he says.
David registered with Volunteer Whanganui in 2015.
"It was service work that got me started. When I left school I was working in Upper Hutt and didn't know anybody, so I joined Rotaract.
"Projects and service work were something I enjoyed."
David's work has taken him around New Zealand. In the Hutt Valley he was making animal vaccines. In Christchurch he was working in a brewery laboratory.
Then for Shell Oil he was in a lab testing lubricants and agricultural chemicals.
"They transferred me to Auckland where I did office work.
"From there I went to Frucor while it was still owned by the Apple and Pear Board, then to Independent Liquor where I set up their quality programmes."
After that he was working on infant formula for the Asian market with a private New Zealand company.
"When that job finished I did some work at the Blind Institute. Mum was blind by that stage."
Then, working for Mars, he was transferred to Whanganui as day shift quality manager, covering someone on maternity leave.
"The job was for nine months. From there I became Mum's carer."
At the same time he got a job driving for the YMCA, taking students to and from courses.
After his mother died, David took a course at UCOL to upgrade his computer skills, enabling him to take a volunteer position at Zest, the City Mission shop.
He has been diagnosed with diabetes, which prompted him to volunteer for Diabetes NZ, Wanganui branch.
He is now on the committee and compiles the local newsletter.
David is also involved with the Friendship Lunch.
"That started not long after I started caring for Mum, so I was able to work that in with the driving."
A small team of six or seven from St Luke's, St Mark's and St Paul's on a Wednesday morning make a meal for a community lunch.
"Meat, four veg and a pudding," he says. The meal is served up in St Luke's hall in Castlecliff and is for anyone who needs it. There's a nominal charge of $3. Other churches serve up a similar meal in other suburbs on other days. David also helps with the laundry after each meal, taking aprons and tablecloths home to wash.
"The chef, Rob Roy, does the towels and teatowels." Volunteering keeps David busy and allows him much needed social contact.
"David has been volunteering here at Zest for approximately four years," Zest manager Michelle Wilson says. "David is very passionate about the variety of roles that he carries out here, from assisting with health and safety, computer work, checking the battery operated stock and looking up pricing for various items.
"We keep him very busy and the work that he does for us is much appreciated. It is great to have someone to look after the fiddly bits which easily fall through the gaps and clog up the system.
"Thank you David and all of our volunteers for all your hard work."
