Enjoying the afternoon tea at Club Mulwala were Jan, Robyn, Chris, Stasha, Bernadette, Bronwyn, Robyn, Anne and Katrina.
Across Yarrawonga and Mulwala, the quiet achievers who volunteer their time to keep the community strong were celebrated on Thursday afternoon at a heartfelt invitational afternoon tea hosted by Club Mulwala as part of National Volunteer Week.
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From sporting clubs and emergency services to health, welfare and community organisations, volunteers were placed firmly in the spotlight for an afternoon of appreciation and gratitude.
Held in the Anzac Room at Club Mulwala, the afternoon tea brought together volunteers from Yarrawonga, Mulwala, Nathalia, Cobram and Numurkah in a true celebration of community spirit.
Over cups of tea and shared plates of sausage rolls, party pies, sandwiches and sweets, the room filled with conversation, laughter and stories, offering many a rare and meaningful moment to simply receive thanks.
In towns like Yarrawonga and Mulwala, and across surrounding districts including Nathalia, Cobram and Numurkah, that spirit is woven into everyday life and quietly keeps the region running.
The annual afternoon tea, first established four years ago by Jo Spence and today coordinated by Renate Buckmaster, has grown into a much-loved tradition across the district.
Among the speakers was Zoe Martin, a member of the Health and Care Committee at Yarrawonga Health, who shared her journey in local volunteering and hospital fundraising.
Pam Rudd and Jo Spence take time out at the afternoon tea.
She said her involvement began at Yarrawonga College P–12 and grew into a lasting commitment to supporting local health services.
“I really enjoyed the sense of community it brought me and the feeling of belonging in the town,” she said, adding that working alongside volunteers highlighted the impact fundraising has on patients and residents at Yarrawonga Health.
Zoe said she continues to volunteer while working at the hospital and plans to head to university next year.
“I just really enjoy volunteering and helping others,” she said.
Pam Rudd, Chair of the Board of Management at the Yarrawonga Mulwala Community Resource Centre, said volunteers are the driving force behind essential services across the region.
“The town wouldn’t run without volunteers,” she said.
“They are absolutely the backbone of everything we do.”
Pam said that across Yarrawonga, Mulwala, Nathalia, Cobram and Numurkah, volunteers support vital services ranging from homelessness support and food relief to youth programs and community connection initiatives.
“People see the services delivered, but not always the work behind them, the time, the effort, the care,” she said.
It goes without saying that volunteers play a critical role in supporting people at some of their most vulnerable moments.
“It might be a food parcel, a conversation, or a place to belong,” she said.
“That simple human connection can change someone’s day, or even their life.”
She said the financial value of volunteering across the region runs into the millions each year, but the true impact is far deeper.
“In dollar terms, it’s well into the millions, but the real value is dignity, connection and kindness. You can’t measure that,” Pam said.
“Volunteers are always the ones saying thank you,” she said.
“We must stop and thank them properly, because they deserve it more than anyone.”
But in Yarrawonga, Mulwala and surrounding communities, their impact is seen not in numbers, but in everyday lives, in stronger connections, supported families and communities held together by quiet acts of care.
As laughter echoed through the Anzac Room and conversations flowed between generations of volunteers, one message stood clear: these quiet achievers are not just part of the community, they are the reason it thrives.
