Recognition for an outstanding achievement and gift to the community
Judy Stewart at her post in the City Mission Rangiora Op Shop
Thursday is Judy Stewart’s day to volunteer at the City Mission Rangiora Op Shop – and get this - she has been turning up on Thursdays for five decades.
This extraordinary service to her community was highlighted yesterday (June 17) when she was presented with an outstanding achievement award at the Canterbury Volunteer Recognition Awards.
Judy is a friendly, positive and caring woman, although she’s shy about sharing her story or causing a fuss.
But she realises 50 years’ service, which comes up in August or September, is pretty special. The dairy farmer’s wife who raised five children has been with the City Mission more than half of our 95 years.
It began in 1974 when Judy was farming at Waikuku and her last child home was off to school.
A friend at church said a volunteer was needed at the Rangiora Op Shop between 11am and 1pm to collect and sort clothes that had been brought up from Christchurch. Judy said thought that was a great idea and the times were perfect for school hours.
Christchurch City Mission’s Rangiora op shop
Her first day was a Thursday and volunteering on that day became a part of the rest of her life. The op shop moved five times and Judy moved with it, doing whatever was needed to help.
“Communities wouldn’t manage without volunteers,” she says, “If you take all the volunteers that work in all the places around in the community, that is huge. We have had five shops and I have been in all of them with different manageresses. We all do it to help others and we become a little family.”
“If you take all the volunteers that work in all the places around the community, that is huge.”
She is also a big knitter and has knitted thousands beanies, jerseys and booties over the decades to sell in the shop and as a way to help young families keep their infants warm.
Judy says she enjoys the company and she hasn’t been such a stalwart volunteer for “for the attention, or the honour, or whatever”.
“It is for my church principles really. They are if you can help others, then you should.”
As for how long she will continue, she says it depends on her health. She will keep doing what she can and she still loves coming in.
“I enjoy it. I just want to make myself useful …” and her lovely laugh fills the shop.