Evelyn Meijer, 64, lives in Kurunjang and volunteers with several organisations in the Melton community. The loving grandmother of four talks to Joanna Catalano.
What is your connection to Melton?
I live in Kurunjang and I volunteer at four different centres in Melton council.
How long have you lived in the area?
I have lived here for four years now – we moved from the country.
How did you find the move?
I’ve met quite a few people my age in Melton; we’ve had similar life experiences, which makes it easy to connect. When I first moved a few took me under their wing. I also had an instant family in joining the Open Door Baptist church.
What is your involvement with volunteering in Melton?
I volunteer at four different places in Melton, one each morning, four days of the week. At Djerriwarrh I help the admin girls with all the work they can’t get to. Then I work at Foodbank Melton where I am a stock rotator. When we get food in I decide where to put it and what needs to go in the fridge or freezer, that one is quite physical. I also volunteer at the Melton Botanic Garden where I do admin for the nursery section and on Fridays I help out the Open Door Baptist Church who run a kids club. I organise drinks for the parents and get involved in the games with the children.
What is your favourite thing about volunteering?
Getting to know Melton and its people. A lot of the people I meet have lived here for 30-40 years and they love the place. I also love working for the Foodbank, helping out people who really need it, it’s nice to be a listening ear.
What is something people may not know about you?
I love to play the piano. We had a piano in our family growing up, I was the youngest of five girls and my sisters would teach me how to play. We have a piano at home now and I come home and play for my husband, who really enjoys the music.
What is your favourite thing about Melton?
The paths and parks. When you take the kids to the playground you have a choice as to which one to go to, there are so many that are close and accessible, and the ease of going for a walk through one of the paths is so lovely.
If you could change anything about the area, what would it be?
When we moved to Kurunjang we found it challenging to learn our way around because some of the streets don’t have signs. Now we know our way around, but we didn’t know the names back then which made it difficult.
Joanna Catalano.
