A SPECIAL Christmas Thank You at the Tea Gardens Library last Saturday, for all the volunteers who keep the Library ticking over year in, year out.

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“It’s an annual tradition,” Librarian Carol John said, “We do it as a big Thank You to all our volunteers.”

More than 20 locals give their time and energy to help out at the Library, their roles as varied as their backgrounds.

“We have volunteers who help with homework help, another group does home help delivering, others do shelving,” Carol said.

Some of the volunteers have been helping out for more than 20 years, long before the Library moved from its old location in Hawks Nest to its current home at Tea Gardens.

“It’s lovely, because the volunteers are like family,” Librarian Chris Shelly said.

“You get to know all about their families and see their families grow up, it’s personal.”

The volunteers also provide many essential services, delivering books to those who can’t make the trip to the Library.

“We have a group that goes to Peter Sinclair Gardens Aged Care facility and another group that provides a home delivery service to Estia Health in Tea Gardens,” Carol said.

“With our delivery services, it doesn’t have to be a permanent things for our clients, they can opt in and out depending on their circumstances,” Chris said.

“We’ve got volunteers like Molly, who’s had aged care experience in her working life, so it’s a great fit when it comes to helping out with the library’s delivery service to our older clients,” Carol said.

And of course all the volunteers agree, they get a lot more back than they give.

The Tea Gardens Library is open from 9am to 5 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 9am until Midday on Saturday.

New members are always welcome.

By: Margie TIERNEY