The 86-year-old was first involved as a volunteer at Langwarrin Football Netball Club when her daughter began playing, this role within the club soon turned into 15 years as secretary.
During this time, she volunteered at FDNA, participating in timekeeping (which she is still doing to this day), a school secretary role for various age groups, as well as administration work for the later games.
For the FDNA life member, a usual week of volunteering includes going above and beyond the netball association and its court-based duties.
“I help out with taking lost property home, washing it, then donating it to women refugees,” said Margaret.
“I saw all this lost property building up, and no one wanted to claim it, so thought they’d be someone that could benefit from it.”
As a modest individual, Margaret was “humbled to be recognised as a life member of FDNA, I thought I was ordinary and didn’t think I was doing anything more than anyone else.”
Contrary to this, Operations Manager at FDNA, Miranda Castles, said that Margaret “is amazing and inspirational, we all just love her.”
“Margaret is a star – she returns cardboard boxes and paper packing to our trophy supplier (which she does a few times a year), she attended the working bee for affiliated clubs and worked tirelessly from start to finish, she is the first to put her hand up to help out and was one of our first ‘Walking Netball’ members and is still active and competitive today,” Miranda said.
Margaret continues to be actively involved with volunteering at FDNA as she feels she has an “obligation to give back to the club, group and association” that she’s a part of.
This attitude won Margaret the FDNA’s ‘volunteer of the year’ award at their recent awards night.
“Winning the award was somewhat overwhelming, I won the award in 2011, the inaugural award for FDNA, and never thought I would win it again.”
For Margaret, volunteering and being involved in the netball community has brought her nothing but joy, and is something she sees herself being involved with forever.
“I would definitely encourage people to get involved with volunteering, the friendships and companionships you make, as well as the satisfaction you get from helping others, is so rewarding.”
