“Without volunteers, nothing would survive,” Bega Valley Meals On Wheels (MOW) vice chair Tony Toussaint said. 

Every year, International Volunteer Day is celebrated on December 5 after being established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985.

On the day this year, Bega Valley MOW held a lunch to thank its 250 volunteers that help it service the region.

For the last 40 years, the organisation has supported adults over 65 as well as people with a disability – it is an approved National Disability Insurance Scheme provider - and delivers 24,000 meals a year.

Its volunteers perform tasks such as bus driving, meal delivery, work in social groups or the cafe as well as provide social support and respite. 

But what makes people give up their time to work with such an organisation?

“I volunteer to give something back to society, gain self-satisfaction and meet nice people,” volunteer Rob Watch of Merimbula said. 

While he had been with Bega Valley MOW for three years, he has been volunteering in total for about 20 years. 

Hans Theile of Candelo started volunteering with MOW 12 years ago when he heard the organisation needed bus drivers.

He said it was at a stage in his life when he was cutting back on work and thought he could give up some time.

“Once you do it, there’s an element in it where you think that ‘I’m really well off and I can do something for the people who are worse off’,” Mr Theile said. 

“I think you’ll find most people are in more than one organisation.

“It seems to be once you get in the swing of things, you stick with it.

“You realise that what you are doing is useful, that people rely on you.” 

At the MOW lunch, Belle Welsh of Bega said being a volunteer kept her brain going and by doing it she felt she was part of the community. 

“And one day I might need it myself,” she said.

“But you don’t give to receive, you give for pleasure.

“Give it a try, you’ve got to step out of your comfort zone.”