MILANG ENVIRONMENT CENTRE –
corner of Weeroona Drive and Jupiter Street Milang. Ph: 85370201
Email: milangenvironmentalcentre@gmail.com
OPEN: 10 AM – 4 PM WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY
MNC INTERVIEWS NEW MEC VOLUNTEER
Anyone who uses the services provided by Milang Environmental Centre knows that the wonderful volunteer team at the local recycle depot has traditionally consisted of men i.e., male ‘dinosaurs.’ Not anymore! MEC recently welcomed new volunteer Sharon Parker a resident of Finnis, an energetic woman with a sense of adventure. Sharon admits sheepishly to being born in the UK but seeks credibility because she moved to Australia in 1988 and has enjoyed living in most states.
To really experience the ‘Land Down-under,’ Sharon set off towing a caravan for a three-year adventure with specialist cartographer husband Tim, a cat and dog. In addition to giving her time and energy at MEC, Sharon also volunteers at the ‘Steam Ranger’ Cockle Train in Goolwa and for the ‘Garden Grubs’ Strathalbyn Neighbourhood Centre. Sharon loves gardening and being outdoors.
MCN: You are the most recent volunteer at MEC- tell us a bit about yourself.
SHARON: Well, despite taking some tongue-in-cheek flack for being a “Pom”, I have earned credibility by informing the true-blue MEC volunteers that I have been an Australian citizen for 34 years, been married to an Australian for 38 years, have two daughters who are Aussies, I have a Kelpie and a Border Collie, and I have travelled all over this wonderful country.
MCN: What motivated you to join the MEC in a mostly male volunteer team?
SHARON: Well, I was looking for a third volunteering role and a Milang Community Garden member suggested the MEC. They said the ‘dinosaur’ crew were fun to work with, but they needed some female volunteers to keep them in line. So, I went to MEC to see if they could use me and there were two women there, Sue and Pam doing a one-off ‘clean-out’ project, getting rid of old junk accumulated over the years, as well as cleaning a display area.
MCN: Did Pam and Sue convince you to volunteer at MEC?
SHARON: Heck no! Pam and Sue told me terrible tales of having to listen to the MEC men talk non-stop about scintillating topics such as football, horse racing, cars, beer, fishing. But I liked the vibe of the place and the ‘dinosaurs’ seemed very welcoming and friendly. So, I signed up and now volunteer there twice a week.
MCN: Do you think that having a woman volunteer on the team will make any difference?
SHARON: Absolutely not. I have enjoyed my time there because it makes no difference to the team that they have a woman working among them. They STILL talk non-stop football, horse- racing, cars, beer, and fishing. Oh, but they DO knock on the door before entering the toilet.
MCN: What sort of things have you been doing at MEC since you started?
SHARON: I am training in all aspects of the operation at the recycle centre, but I do get the impression they are steering me away from the grottier tasks like counting milk containers with sour liquid in them. ‘Dinosaur’ Dave who supervises the workshop is teaching me how to extract the more valuable metals like brass from things brought to MEC. The guy who wields the wide broom will not let me touch it, so I focus on greeting customers, counting recycle items and just helping where and when needed. I am hoping to get a forklift licence.
MCN: So, be honest with us, do you enjoy volunteering at the MEC?
SHARON: Yes I do. The work environment fluctuates between very busy to humdrum-nothing- much-happening. But that is when everyone takes the initiative and finds something useful to do. It is an impressive operation-very efficient. And, although I have heard them described as ‘dinosaurs’ they really are a friendly, harmonious group who make the work and time spent light-hearted fun. One thing though; I have never seen people so enthusiastic about eating cake. There is a lovely lady named Lyla who each week brings the MEC volunteers a beautiful, big, fresh-baked cake which they quickly demolish. Anyone would think these guys were starving
MEC NEEDS MORE VOLUNTEERS: Anyone interested in being a MEC volunteer, actively learning about recycling, contributing to environmental protection, operating machinery, driving tractors, trucks, or forklifts, enjoying delicious cakes, long tea breaks, meeting residents from across the region, please contact MEC by phone or email or call in personally 10 am – 4 pm Wednesday or Saturday.
