Goodwood State School held a special event to thank its more than 70 volunteers including local artists who have created two new murals.
Acting principal Frank Nastasi said volunteers contributed to the school in a variety of ways, impacting the way the school was managed and providing a community feel.
“They might be volunteers that come in on a weekly basis and do some reading with our students, they might be parent volunteers that help out in the class room, community members that are selling raffle tickets for us,” Frank said.
“We have other businesses that support our P&C through a number of different ways as well.”
One of the volunteer groups is known as the Woodgate Readers who dedicate their time to help develop the reading skills of children by reading and being read to by students.
Pauline Greer has been a member of the readers group for eight years and attends the school once a week.
“It’s just a lovely way to have a Tuesday, you know, it puts sunshine in your day for the kids,” Pauline said.
“The kids get a lot out of it, they get confidence in reading.
“They love to tell us stories. We listen and take the time as well as reading to listen to what they’ve got to say.”
Frank said the school and students enjoyed welcoming volunteers from the close-knit community.
“We are a small school and having the kids read to those members from the community that aren’t particularly connected to the community with children or grandchildren just means that the kids can see that connection.”
Students thank school volunteers
School captain Tamalin Morris said having volunteers was very special.
“These people volunteer for their hard work, they don’t really need to do it but they still volunteer to help our school out and its nice of them to do it,” Tamalin said.
Two murals have been painted on the school grounds by Woodgate Art Society volunteers which Tamalin said were very popular with the students.
“One side has about our school like a few wildlife things and a few Goodwood things and then the other side has Remembrance Day,” she said.
“They’re nice and its nice of them to paint our wall for us.”
Frank said the community’s volunteering spirit was further exemplified during the recent bushfires in the area.
“We had a lot of families affected by the fires.
“Knowing that our students were being kept safe down in the community because of the number of volunteers that were down there and all of the wonderful services that were involved in the fires last week, it added to that feeling of safe and being well.”
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