Dian Stroud first began volunteering with In Great Company at Feros Care’s residential villages during COVID-19, assisting families to visit their loved ones safely. It wasn’t long before virtual volunteering caught her attention and
In Great Company thought she’d be the perfect match for Betty.
“We chat each Monday afternoon, I hope Betty looks forward to our chats as much as I do,” Dian said.
“Despite living alone and missing her husband of 65 years, Betty is always cheerful and enjoys telling me about her life on the sheep farm as an only child.”
The two have enjoyed getting to know each other over the phone during their weekly conversations. Dian tells us they talk about Betty’s children and when she met her late husband at a country dance, who then went
on to be Vice Principal at a secondary school.
“Betty’s award-winning sponge cakes and lamingtons were in great demand and raised money for the school at local fetes,” Dian tells us.
“I am learning a lot about a woman’s role in country life in the 50s and 60s. I believe that anyone who has some time to spare each week would find ‘virtual volunteering’ very rewarding. I do,” said Dian.
Volunteering over the phone or online means you can donate your time to a cause that matters, which means you can make a difference in the safety of your own home and forge new friendships, like Dian and Betty’s.