MercyCare / News / Volunteer driver Don celebrates 15 years at MercyCare

Volunteer driver Don celebrates 15 years at MercyCare

To acknowledge his 15 years of service as a MercyCare volunteer, Don was recently presented with an award as a token of appreciation.

Currently a resident at Mercy Village in Wembley, Don takes immense joy in his weekly volunteer role.

“I started volunteering as a driver when I first moved into the retirement village,” Don said.

“After I retired, I got my truck licence so I could fill in for my son’s trucking business, but when I heard they needed a bus driver to take clients out for outings, I thought I’d give it a go.”

MercyCare’s Davis House is a respite-centre that provides support to people living with dementia, providing a range of care and activities tailored to each individual’s needs to support their sense of independence and wellbeing.

Over the years, Don said he has got to know “the regulars” and also enjoyed meeting new faces and discovering new places.

“I get to meet new people all the time and I enjoy driving to places that I haven’t been to before,” he said.

Don’s passengers can rest assured that they are in safe hands, with the 84-year-old boasting decades of experience driving across all kinds of terrain – having driven around Australia twice in a Kombi van.

“They like my driving,” he said. “I drive carefully – I like to drive as though they are all holding a cup of coffee and don’t want to spill it. I like to drive people the way I’d like to be driven.”

Despite being in his 80s, Don hints that he won’t be giving up his volunteer role anytime soon.

“I’ll keep driving for as long as I’m allowed to,” he laughed.

To find out more about volunteering at MercyCare, click here.