This week at Warrigal, we celebrated an outstanding milestone – 50 years of service from our Warrigal Auxiliary!

An Auxiliary is a group of volunteers that exist to support an organisation, primarily through their selfless volunteering contributions and fundraising programs.

The Warrigal Care Auxiliary was established in March 1976, when 15 local women met with a shared desire to support older people through fundraising and community connection. What began as a small group of committed volunteers, has grown into a strong and enduring Auxiliary that continues to serve Warrigal residents and the local community with passion, generosity, and pride.

Over the 50 years our Auxiliary been operating for, they’ve raised and donated over $1.7 million – an incredible effort that has improved the lives of countless older people, allowing for the purchasing of equipment, furnishings, six buses, and funding the building of our Warrigal Op Shop – just to name a few. This support has directly enhanced the day-to-day lives of residents across Warrigal.

On Monday 30 March, we recognised these five decades of dedicated service and fundraising by this remarkable group of volunteers, with a special event held at our Warrigal Central administration building.

The celebration was attended by Warrigal Auxiliary members past and present, our Warrigal CEO Jenni Hutchins, our Chair of the Warrigal Board Sophie Ray, as well as Mayor of Shellharbour City Council Chris Homer, and local Member of Parliament for Shellharbour Anna Watson. All attendees spoke about the enduring dedication of this outstanding group of people, as current active members of the Auxiliary received their certificate of appreciation, and enjoyed a special afternoon tea together.

Jenni kicked off the celebrations by acknowledging “Today, we are here to say thank you. To our current Auxiliary members and Op Shop volunteers, and to every person who has given their time, their energy and their care to this cause since 1976.”

Sophie Ray echoed Jenni’s sentiment by saying, “Fifty years is not simply a number. It is the accumulation of thousands of mornings when someone chose to give their time rather than keep it. It is every item of clothing sorted, folded, and given new life in the Op Shop. Every bus trip gives a resident a glimpse of the world beyond their front door. It is every dollar raised, quietly and persistently, year after year.”

A plaque commemorating the 50 years service of the Warrigal Auxiliary was then presented to attendees, which will be placed at the Warrigal Op Shop.

We thank all of our amazing Warrigal Auxiliary members, both past and present, for their selfless efforts that have left a lasting impact on the lives of older people in our community. We celebrate the friendships they’ve made, the community ties they’ve strengthened, and how they have continued to embody the true spirit of volunteering.

If you’re interested in making a meaningful difference in the lives of older people as a volunteer, contact our Warrigal Volunteer team by emailing volunteer@warrigal.com.au, and explore our Volunteering page here.

View the full gallery from the event below!