National Volunteer Week: Meet Dawn and Margo

Baptcare volunteering

Baptcare has a proud history of volunteering. Seventy-eight years ago, a group of Baptist women joined together, raised the phenomenal sum of £4000 and worked with the local community to open Australia’s first Baptist home for older people. Our work was established by volunteers – and that spirit remains today in partnership with our volunteers who have contributed over 247,000 hours of service this financial year. Volunteers like the wonderful Dawn Evans and Margo Kendall who have a combined commitment of seventy-one years of volunteering service. Here’s their story.

You have been lifelong friends. How did you meet?

It all started with our husbands, Nevill (Kendall) and Ian (Evans). They met at school at ages six and seven and had an ongoing friendship when they married us. We all eventually met and fast became inseparable friends.

How did your volunteering journey begin?

Margo volunteered at a local Aged Care Facility called Wyndham Lodge, in 1987. After one of the meetings, we were invited to, “bring a friend ” along to the next meeting. Margo brought along Dawn and, as they say in the classics, the rest is history!

Margo took up the role of President twenty-two years ago and still holds that position today. Dawn started in 1989, took up the role of Secretary, a role that she still performs to this day.

Long before Baptcare had Volunteer Coordinators or a Lifestyle Team, Margo and Dawn became the forerunners for both of these groups. The recruitment of volunteers was their responsibility along with keeping our residents entertained. Margo and Dawn organised different shows and the residents loved their performances. Along with support from other volunteers they would produce these shows to raise much needed funds for Wyndham Lodge.

Margo and Dawn remember these shows fondly, including acts like a wartime tribute to Vera Lynne and vaudeville, and performances of songs from the Village People and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

What is that you enjoy about volunteering?

The ladies don’t miss a beat before they respond: “We love our local community and have formed a real connection to it over the years. It’s an honour to be able to help others in need.”

Our heartfelt thanks to Dawn and Margo for all that you’ve given to Baptcare and our community. As stated by Keith Charlesworth, Volunteer Co-ordinator, “their service to Baptcare is incredible – lasting over seventy years. To put this in perspective, Baptcare has only been in existence for seventy-six years, so it’s really an amazing feat. Baptcare is a better place with Dawn and Margo in it.”