Carole calls 2023 her ‘lucky year’.

After visiting Melbourne in September of last year, Carole fell in love with the leafy suburb of Balwyn, spending much of her time wandering through Maranoa Botanic Gardens or catching a film at Palace Cinemas.

No place made her feel more at home though, than VMCH’s Balwyn op shop.

Coming from Hong Kong, this was Carole’s first time hearing of an opportunity shop.

“I saw the display in the window and I loved it,” she says. “I thought it was amazing!”

Carole was interested in volunteering at the shop, but felt concerned her English wasn’t strong enough. Store Manager Gretchen Fitzgerald, along with the other volunteers encouraged Carole to give it a go.

“Gretchen is wonderful. She is a professional,” Carole says. “Working with her, I feel so happy and joyful. I am really blessed to spend my time here. It’s been a great time to practice my English.”

She began volunteering at the shop in January. Alongside improving her English skills, she has since discovered the many benefits volunteering has to offer.

“Being a volunteer is a special chance to know more about Balwyn and to touch local people. The main reason is to show my nephew that volunteering is very good and makes me happy.

“My nephew always says “Aunt, you are so lucky.” when I share my stories from the shop. Now, he wants to become a volunteer too.”

According to Volunteering Australia, around 6 million Australians volunteer annually, contributing around $290 billion to the Australian economy every year.

Here at VMCH, we have over 500 volunteers across our service areas, including residential aged care, disability services, op shops and carer support to name a few.

Our volunteers are an integral part of VMCH, who often tell us that the experience of volunteering is as rewarding to them personally as it is to our residents, clients and students.

This rings true for Carole, who says the experience has made her feel “so warm”.

“I have enjoyed every single minute of working with my VMCH OP Shop Balwyn workmates,” she says. “l feel happy and joyful. Australian life has filled my heart.”

After a wonderful six months of volunteering with us, Carole heads back to Hong Kong this month. She plans to revisit Melbourne in December, where we will welcome her back to our team with open arms.

We’re always looking for more volunteers! If you’re interested in making a positive difference in the lives of others, visit our website or phone 1800 036 377