MOUNT Gambier youth Faith Monger has been recognised for her selfless voluntary efforts at last month’s Service Clubs Association of South Australia – Community Service awards.
Ms Monger was the joint winner of the Alan Sloan Young Citizen Community Service Award.
Nominated by the Lions Club of Mount Gambier, the award recognises an active and enthusiastic volunteer in the community who has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, achievement or service to a community project.
The award is in recognition of Allan Sloan who served as the Lions Service Clubs Association of South Australia representative for 20 years and devoted much of his life to community service.
Ms Monger said she did not know she was nominated until told she had won.
“I was surprised in the beginning and after doing some research about what the award was really about I was definitely honoured,” she said.
“I try to do a lot of volunteering in the community in (my) spare time.
“I guess the Mount Gambier Lions Club and especially Ross Parkinson thought it was deserving of some recognition.”
Ms Monger said she was a relatively new volunteer at Red Cross Limestone Coast.
“I also help out at the Rotary Club of Mount Gambier West as my dad is involved with them,” she said.
“Whenever there are fundraisers on, I am helping behind the scenes in the pizza van or in other areas which need support.”
Ms Monger said she also donated 35cm of her hair this year to the Variety Foundation’s Hair for Heart.
“I think people get a great feeling through volunteering and giving back to services which help a lot of people,” she said.
“I have developed many connections which will hopefully prove beneficial in the future.”
With a strong passion in the music industry, Ms Monger said she was a member in both the Mount Gambier City Concert Band and the Limestone Coast Symphony Orchestra.
“I have many contacts in the music industry now which I will be able to use,” she said.
“In both of the groups, I think I help out where I do not have to and am often there early setting up stage equipment before shows and helping pack everything away after shows when I can.
“With the symphony orchestra, I am a part of the percussion section, so we can be there a good few hours there before anybody else to try and to set up.”
Some of her musical highlights include completing her fourth grade Piano for Leisure exam in 2018 and receiving an honours grade.
She said completing Year 12 solo performance on saxophone in 2019 and conducting Grant High School’s musical Shifting Sands were also highlights.
Ms Monger she had recently been employed by Phoenix Music Studios and will start in Term 1 as a piano teacher.
“Being a friendly face in the community and volunteering would have helped in some ways in gaining my position,” she said.
“I have not stopped volunteering and plan to continue to do more of it.”
