Council honours long-serving Visitor Information Centre volunteer

Western Downs Regional Council has this week honoured one of the region’s most selfless citizens, with veteran volunteer Eileen Gosden signing off on more than 20 years’ service.

Eileen has volunteered at the Dalby Visitor Information Centre since 1998 and is this week retiring from her post to focus on her health.

The 89-year-old Dalby resident said she was always raised to give back to her community and considered the past 20 years at the Visitor Information Centre a privilege and a pleasure.

“What I enjoyed most about my time as a volunteer was the people – the tourists, even the people you worked with were good, interesting people,” Mrs Gosden said.

“I used to drive from the country to volunteer and even when I moved into town, I couldn’t see any reason in the world why I would ever stop volunteering. I just think it’s the right thing to do.”

Spokesperson for Economic Development Councillor Donna Ashurst said Council was delighted to honour Eileen’s service to the community, which has spanned over two decades.

“It’s residents like Eileen who really embody what it means to be a part of the Western Downs community and we are so thankful to her for her many years of service,” Cr Ashurst said.

“Our Visitor Information Centres are often the first stop for people visiting our region, and our volunteers ensure visitors are welcomed into our community with open arms.

“We’re a region built on a recognised culture of volunteerism and we are so thankful to Eileen for her dedication and hard work over the past twenty years.”

There are around 714,000 volunteers in Queensland, with the Western Downs having a higher than average number of volunteers between the ages of 25-54.

Over 25% of residents across the Western Downs actively volunteer, with 33 registered volunteers at the Dalby Visitor Information Centre alone.

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