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Merran’s support in every stall.
Dedicating your life to helping others is something not many people can say they’ve truly done, but for long-term Guide Dogs NSW/ACT volunteer, Merran, this rings true. A mother of three and grandmother of eleven, her grandchildren are her life, “except for Guide Dogs.”
Merran runs a stall as part of the Guide Dogs Central Coast Support Group that raises money for our organisation. She sells everything dog-related, including mugs, tea towels, hand-sewn items and artworks that she makes herself. “95 percent of the merchandise in the stall, I either donate or make,” says Merran.
The Central Coast Guide Dogs Support Group is a long-standing group made up of passionate volunteers who actively raise awareness and funds for Guide Dogs NSW/ACT. Even though Merran is an integral member of the group, its routes date back to 1983 and their stalls from as far north as Lake Haven to all the way south in The Peninsula have been going strong ever since.
What stemmed from a chance conversation with a fellow volunteer in 2009, blossomed into Merran’s 16-year long commitment to Guide Dogs. “The more things you do, the more the love grows,” said Merran when she was asked what it means to be a volunteer for Guide Dogs.
Her favourite part about volunteering? Getting to talk to our supporters. “You can’t replace face to face interaction. That’s the beauty of our stalls. People come up to us and talk about Puppy Raising, or tell us about a family member who has used Guide Dogs’ services, and of course, everyone gets to interact with the dogs. I love talking to everyone about Guide Dogs and the incredible work they do for people with low vision or blindness.”
Merran has loads of stories to tell about the different interactions she’s had with people in her community when they come to visit her stall, and even when she’s out and about sourcing material to make tea towels or other items to sell. She’s become an unofficial advocate for our services, and lets everyone know that we offer more than just dogs. When Merran was at her local shops, she started talking to a woman who told her that her sister was losing her vision. Merran urged her “not to wait and to contact Guide Dogs when she got home, to book in with an Orientation and Mobility Specialist.” That’s one of the many reasons our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organisation.
To learn more about how to volunteer with us, click the link to be taken to our volunteering page.
