In conversation about the event and volunteering
Rosemary Chapman recently helped run the 18th Goulburn Relay for Life, a well-known event that raises funds for cancer services and research. It started in 2003, with the annually relays raise more than $75,000 every year.
This year the organising committee called the relay off given the traditional camping and activities of the 24-long event associated with the spirit of the event wouldn’t be able to go ahead. Local radio station Eagle FM 93.5 was to do a live broadcast at the event. With the relay event being cancelled, the team did a 24-hour live broadcast, with the relay run shared with its sister station 2GN.
Rosemary said the ‘magical’ atmosphere of the usual relay came alive over the airwaves. She was blown away by how businesses came on board and the wider community’s generosity. She said recent restrictions made re-thinking the event much easier. All the ceremonies were live broadcasts, with prerecorded items such as the National Anthem.
Advertising for the event was everywhere as Eagle FM’s Manager is in the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce. He reached out to other members, offering ‘an hour of power’ as advertising with donations going to the relay.
Participants could also ‘relay their way’, from it their homes, on properties or walking in their neighborhood. A group from the Baptist Church walked about 300 kilometers and another entrant, from Goulburn Donut Shop sold a huge number of purple and yellow donuts. People drove to the shop to give donations. Rosemary said that the amazing thing was, when the committee had resolved they wouldn’t be able to raise funds this year, they ended up with more than $50,00 in pledges and are all enthusiastic about doing it again next year.
Rosemary has been doing voluntary work for about 12 years, since she retired from her job as Principal of a small school. She believes that volunteering is about trying to do something for someone else, to give back to other people.
“One person can do many things but together you can do more,” she said.
As a school principal encouraged students to be selfless and think about what you can do for other people. She said that it’s in your approach to life, and turning it around so you are not caught up in yourself.
When asked about volunteers, she said that many of them are older people in the community. She said an exception is the relay committee, which has three high school students as Goulburn High has always has a team. The students did their relay on the school oval, camping overnight. She said that kids are our future and the future volunteers.
“If we don’t start showing them how it is done and what happens, we’ll lose them,” she said.
“Kids usually see how it’s done with their parents’ involvement and then they follow on. With the relay, the kids are having fun and we need that vibrancy”.
Rosemary is also a member of the Goulburn Lions Club.
As their members are older, she says they are working on starting a Leos Club in the schools to further share the club’s values in the community.
“With the changing lifestyles and both parents working, fewer people are committing to joining these clubs,” she said.
She added that the club’s current car raffle isn’t just about offering a generous prize, but to be seen in the community. To show that things can be done.
The Lions Club funds have been going down this year and hopes the competition can boost the club. Sales are going well, possibly because people haven’t spent too much money during the year. Last year, sales were down given drought and bushfires meaning there wasn’t much money to spend.
For Rosemary and Goulburn’s charitable organisations, this year will be one to remember for the good and bad.
