“The Goulburn Valley would be a very different place today without the tireless work of volunteers across our community groups,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“The work of emergency response organisations to local community houses that help people access vital services in our community all runs on the power of volunteers.”
She said during the devastating October floods last year, the strength and resilience of volunteers shone through.
Despite personal losses, they continued to work tirelessly to protect and support their communities and are the “heart and soul of the Goulburn Valley”.
Last Saturday, Val Barrass marked 80 years of volunteering with the Shepparton Netball Association.
“An example of our truly amazing volunteers is Val Barrass,” Ms O’Keefe said.
“I congratulate and pay honour to Val’s dedication and love for volunteering her time to our community, as this is a remarkable achievement.”
National Volunteer Week serves as an opportunity to publicly recognise and thank volunteers, who often go unnoticed.
Their collective efforts in 2019 alone were estimated to provide a $58.1 billion worth of benefits to Victoria.
Volunteers often bear their own expenses, with a reported $3.9 billion spent supporting their volunteering endeavours.
“During National Volunteers Week 2023, I thank our volunteers and recognise the work they do that enriches our community and encourage anyone who may be thinking about volunteering to get involved,” Ms O’Keefe said.