What I See with Peter Fiorenza: Volunteering is so important so why do I fear for future of community service?

Is service to the community still a focus? Last Sunday, I took part as a volunteer for the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton’s Radio Auction. This event has been a community fixture for a very long time, with my simple contribution stretching more than 20 years. I really love it — talking live on radio and encouraging listeners to bid for many and varied items, along with some banter with fellow broadcasters. Being in the phone room and listening to the continual ringing as people rush to place their bids. Items ranged from 20kg of dog biscuits and boxes of king prawns to all-inclusive holiday packages and season passes to the local football. There was simply something for everyone, but for many that didn’t matter. It’s all about donating to a worthy cause — and an opportunity to help others in the community. As rallying behind worthy causes goes, Geraldton residents are right up there with the rest of WA — a State that is well-known for its generosity. But if this is so, why are organisations that have been the key vehicles for such generosity suffering from lack of membership and support at the moment? What am I talking about, you may ask? During the radio auction there were other volunteers, but most were Rotarians, and I don’t think one of them would have been under 50 years of age. And each year, it seems it is mostly the same individuals who are rocking up to assist. Good on them, but as the Rotary members grow older, there seems to be no one coming up through the ranks. Less and less people are joining Rotary clubs. Case in point. Geraldton had three flourishing clubs for quite some time, but not anymore. I remember being invited to a special dinner with one club about 10 years ago. The sizeable function room was packed. In recent years that club’s membership has significantly shrunk, to the point that it has amalgamated with another club, bringing the number of clubs in town down to two. And it’s not just Rotary clubs, Apex clubs are also dwindling, along with Lions clubs. All are organisations that act as hubs for charity in the community. Maybe this is another case of changing life patterns — people are creating a situation where they are always time poor. I’m afraid for the future. I know a little about our younger generation, our kids. I’m worried that this once mainstay in community life is dying. I hope I’m wrong, but I firmly believe that the next generation won’t be doing anything unless they are paid, which will leave a huge void in society. And that is sad. Peter Fiorenza hosts Sports Shed Saturday (9am to noon) and Fiorenza on Sunday (10am to noon) on Radio MAMA