After more than 100 years volunteering between them, Leigh and Merridee Hardinge are hanging up their hats from major roles.
Leigh, an Altona SES foundation member and his wife, a former “den mother”, who are Order of Australia Medal recipients, were acknowledged for their significant contribution to Hobsons Bay at last week’s council meeting.
The couple are stepping back from their role with the SES. Mr Hardinge, 71, a former mayor and councillor, has also resigned as chairman of youth road trauma body Fit 2 Drive and as a long-time member of the RoadSafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council.
“My father always used to say to me, ‘You always try and leave a place better than you found it’,” Mr Hardinge said.
“I look back on all the things that we’ve had our involvement with and they’ve all been what I call community, wholesome and good outcomes.
“You also make some very good friendships and we’ve got some very long-standing friendships.
“It’s not only just what we’ve done … you’ll get people looking after their elderly folk at home, you’ll get people that are
helping out in Meals on Wheels, you get the whole raft of things that people become involved in.
“If volunteering was pulled out of this country, we would go broke.
“Our community’s been good to us.”
Mr Hardinge’s volunteering started as a Cub instructor with 3rd Williamstown Scout Group in 1961. Ms Hardinge, then 17, was a volunteer Cub leader at 10th Footscray.
The couple, married 47 years, met at a Scout camp in Ballarat.
Mr Hardinge said the pair might do more travelling, but it wasn’t as though they were “sliding out of the world”.
He will continue to be involved with Scouts and Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek and to perform Justice of the Peace duties.
Ms Hardinge, 67, will remain as president of Probus Club of Altona and Mr Hardinge as its secretary.
