Next week the annual Fremantle Citizen of the Year awards will be announced at a citizenship ceremony in the Walyalup Civic Centre.
All local councils in Australia have these awards around Australia Day, to honour those who have made a significant contribution to their community. It made me think how important it is that so many people give up a lot of their time, to try to make a positive difference.
Community participation often starts at schools and sport clubs, for those who have children, and often grows from there. People nominate for committees, or ultimately step up and stand for council.
Fremantle people volunteer as tourist guides at the Roundhouse, Shipwrecks Museum, Maritime Museum, Visitor Centre and Fremantle Port, or become lifesavers at Leighton Beach, organise the North Freo Bowlo and community garden, the Sea Rescue, Politics in the Pub, Valley Verges, Save Leighton, or are working at the Men’s Shed, etc.
We have the Friends of Cantonment Hill and Friends of Samson Park, looking after these public spaces, and those who spend some Saturday mornings, planting trees along Marine Terrace.
Generous members of our community volunteer at hospitals, St Pat’s, the Flying Angel Club, and at the great Freo Long Table event, that raises funds for the homeless.
People seriously engage with local councils and attend community sessions about the Heart of Beaconsfield, East Fremantle Oval, Future of Fremantle, Hilton bowling precinct, Fremantle Traffic Bridge, and many others. Some even step up to take part in policy working groups that assist their local councils, on issues such as age friendly cities, Aboriginal reconciliation, youth issues, etc. Passionate community members speak up at council meetings about planning and other issues, or organise precinct events to inform and debate how we can make Fremantle an even better place to live, work and visit.
It is quite remarkable how many of us take ownership of our community and regularly sacrifice some of their private time to help improve our cities, for no personal gain. As a former long-time Roundhouse volunteer I know that it can feel like a bit of a slog to stand on your feet for five hours, talking to a lot of people from all over the world, sometimes in the cold and rain, or in the heat. But volunteering is fun and rewarding. One meets a lot of people and makes new friends, and it feels as if you are making a positive difference, no matter how small that might be. And all those who step up to contribute to their community deserve our gratitude.
Anyone can have a whinge and many, including I, do, about what is not perfect about the city they live in, but it requires dedication to take that next step and actually take part in the process and help shape the future of our city. Working towards positive change is good for the soul.
It can be frustrating to go to endless talk fests, if one feels that one’s input has been ignored. When I was a long-time committee member of the Fremantle Society, I often walked away from council meetings I had spoken at, feeling taken for granted, thinking that I had run head on into a brick wall, but we should never give up.
Constantly complaining about what is wrong is easy. When we change our attitude from thinking what THEY(councils) should do, and turn it into what WE could do, things change for the better. It demands dedication, a positive and tolerant attitude, and the passion and commitment to make a difference. When one finally sees the fruits of one’s labour for the love for our city, that is a really fuzzy warm feeling, that makes all the frustration and hard work so worthwhile.
And some of us might even like to silently and mischievously flip the bird at those who have relentlessly criticised our efforts. Standing up for what we believe in benefits our communities.
Roel Loopers/Freoview
