90th birthday no bar to enjoyment as a volunteer with Cruise Eden

Working with Cruise Eden as Red Shirts they are regulars on the shuttle buses into town, helping visitors to Eden get the most out of their experience.

Bob and Barb joined the Cruise Eden team about nine years ago. They had been been volunteering with the International Education Foundation (IEF) matching overseas students with local families for over 20 years. When IEF pulled out of Australia, the couple looked for another organisation with which to volunteer.

"We saw the ad for volunteers for Cruise Eden and that filled the gap," Bob said.

On Thursday, November 16, Bob celebrates his 90^th birthday but because he is being whisked away by family to New Zealand, the team at Cruise Eden decided to celebrate with him on November 9 when he was rostered for shuttle bus and meet and greet duties.

When you ask Bob about volunteering, he has good reasons to embrace it.

"It gives you a meaning in life, a reason to get up out of bed," he said.

"It's important for older people to interact with others, young and old, rather than sit at home and think about your aches and pains," Bob said.

He particularly enjoys welcoming the international cruise visitors because "it's an opportunity to impart knowledge about Australia".

"Mixing with people is the main ingredient to keeping you mentally active and fit," Bob said.

Manager at Cruise Eden Debbie Meers said Bob and Barb were the stalwarts of the volunteer team and were passionate about seeing all ages volunteer.

"After almost every cruise Bob sends me an email with constructive comments about what he has seen and what can be improved. He brings a lifetime of experience to his volunteering and is loved by everyone," she said.

Travel and the sea have been a big part of Bob's life after he left school in the UK and went to work on cargo ships for seven years, and for three of those years he was in Australia.

In 1957 he decided to come to Australia, "not as a 10 pound Pom," Bob said.

He found a job in Customs and served on wharves and airports.

"I was at Sydney Airport when the US troops came in from Vietnam for R&R and I met a few celebrities as they came through including Don Lane," Bob said.

IN OTHER NEWS:

leaving Customs Bob went to North Ryde and trained as a psychiatric nurse which led him to Bega when he opened the community health centre in 1975.

"I started Tulgeen in 1977 because there was nothing for handicapped kids in the area and it started as workshops," Bob said.

From 1977 until the 1990s Bob was either on the board of Tulgeen or as patron.

Although he retired in 1995, he continued to work casually and volunteered for the Olympic Games.

"We did the hockey," he said with a smile of recollection.

And what about Cruise Eden?

"Well you can have some fun with this job. I sit in the front of the bus with the microphone. One day there was a little girl across the aisle who wanted to sing. I passed the microphone to her and she sang 'What a wonderful world'; people were in tears as we drove into town."

Love your regional news? Then sign up for the Voice of Real Australia, news from across the country delivered free to your inbox