Member feature written by Meg Baresic
Cancelled plans led to a free afternoon, and a free afternoon led Wendy and Guy to an open day at Guide Dogs Queensland. Thank goodness for cancelled plans, I think. Thank goodness for people like this.
I’m sitting around a table at Guide Dogs Queensland, accompanied by volunteers Wendy, Guy and Leesa. To my right sits Volunteer Program Advisor Jade and to my left sits Community and Gifts in Wills Manager, Renae. To be surrounded by this group is to be surrounded by five people who, without a doubt, exemplify what it means to help others.
Established close to 65 years ago, Guide Dogs Queensland is an incredible organisation based on Brisbane’s northside. With over 800 active volunteers and a wonderful raft of staff, Guide Dogs Queensland operates with the intent of enabling those with vision loss to lead independent, fulfilling, and rewarding lives. As volunteer Leesa (accompanied by gorgeous Puppy In Training, Betty) puts it, “It gives people the ability to reach their potential”.
And reach their potential they do, with Guide Dogs Queensland supporting those with vision loss in a variety of meaningful ways. Guy explains that the organisation offers orientation and mobility workshops, counselling to help people come to terms with their vision loss, and interactive camps for children.
“It helps people realise they’re not alone and that there is so much support out there,” he says. Guy and Wendy have been volunteering with Guide Dogs Queensland for ten years, and if their smiles and stories are anything to go by, you can tell they’ll be here for a while.
“The work done at Guide Dogs Queensland helps to restore people’s faith in the future,” Guy says. Wendy agrees, adding that “The kindness here is incredible. It’s like a family.”
When I ask Leesa what she gets from volunteering (aside from, of course, loving dogs like Betty), she tells me that “It really helps with people’s mental wellbeing and self-development, and it’s a very caring and supportive organisation.”
Such a sentiment is strongly echoed by staff members Jade and Renae. “As soon as I started here, people were saying ‘welcome to the family’,” Jade recalls with a smile. Renae agrees, adding that “The connections here are so authentic. They are the fabric of our organisation.” At this point, Renae mentions the organisation’s longest-standing volunteer, Mr Richard Anderson OAM. Serving on the Guide Dogs Queensland board since 1980 and as President since 1990, Richard has played a pivotal role in the growth of the organisation.
As we continue to chat about Guide Dogs Queensland, Wendy recalls a man she met while volunteering at a fundraising stall in Redcliffe. He was a homeless man, she tells me, and he approached Wendy while she stood at the stall to ask about the organisation. “I spent quite a while explaining to him what Guide Dogs Queensland does and how it helps people.”
He came back a little while later, she tells me, and it’s here that she starts to get teary. “He gave us a dollar, which was just the most generous thing for a man in his position to do.” Such is the impact that organisations like Guide Dogs Queensland can have.
Sitting in my car after my visit to Guide Dogs Queensland, I am struck by how uplifted I feel. “The world is 99% good,” I recall Wendy saying.
“The world is full of people doing good.”
People interested in volunteering with Guide Dogs Queensland can do so in a myriad of ways. Volunteering with dogs, community volunteering, and corporate volunteering are just a few of the rewarding opportunities available. Head to their website to find out more about how you can get involved.
About Meg
Meg Baresic is currently studying a Bachelor of Laws and Journalism at QUT. When she’s not drinking coffee or catching up with friends, Meg loves chatting to and learning from inspiring and interesting people.
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