When Bob Smith sets foot on the grounds of St James Primary School at Kotara South with Margaret and Doug Thornton, they do so more as family than as volunteers.
The trio have been quietly contributing to the running of the school for more than a decade, offering invaluable time and energy to its Green Team and other outdoor education programs.
All three retirees are being recognised as part of the National Volunteer Week 2020.
Acting school principal Lucy Harvey said this was a chance for the community to publicly thank the “three treasures”.
“Bob, Margaret and Doug are three of the most beautiful, generous, selfless people I know,” Ms Harvey said.
“We don’t think of them as volunteers, we think of them as family.
Mr Smith and Mr and Mrs Thornton dedicate hours every week to the St James community, while they also maintain the school’s vegetable garden and livestock during the holidays.
During COVID-19, the trio were tending to the school grounds on weekends to ensure the survival of the gardens and animals.
Ms Harvey said their continued support over the years had allowed the school to use funds for other educational purposes.
“We are truly blessed to have these dedicated people as part of our school community,” she said.
“Bob has a wide and varied set of skills that he employs in the tasks he undertakes throughout the school.
“These include creating seating for students, hanging and moving pinboards when teachers re-vision their classrooms, creating garden beds to allow students to experience growing plants, and building and upgrading chicken coops and an aquaponics garden.
“He always has suggestions on how to best perform these tasks and no job is ever too hard or menial for him to take on.”
Mr Smith has a long association with the school, with both his children and grandchildren attending the Vista Parade site.
Ms Harvey said Mr and Mrs Thornton were “environmental warriors” who had helped establish an extensive school vegetable garden and the care of the school’s ‘farm’ animals.
“They come into the school at all times and days of the week to water, feed, collect eggs, let the chickens in and out of their pens and harvest crops,” she said.
“Their sustained commitment to our school is a major driving force that keeps our environmental programs running.”
Mr Smith, who’s children and grandchildren attended the school, said volunteering was very rewarding.
“I enjoy being around the kids and making things better for them,” he said. “I like to make things look good and see the change when a job is completed.”
Mr and Mrs Thornton, who’s grandchildren still attend the school, said being nominated for their volunteering contribution was “unnecessary”.
“We love the children and their enthusiasm for learning to garden and their appreciation of the chickens and birds,” Mrs Thornton said.
This year’s National Volunteer Week kicked off on Monday and wraps up today (Sunday 24 May).
