Now in its ninth year, the Hidden Treasures Honour Roll: Recognising rural women volunteers has a very special inductee this year. It’s Glen Innes’s own Navanka Fetcher.
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Navanka’s inclusion could arguably form the honour roll’s first grandmother/granddaughter combination, with nan Lyn Cregan making the honour roll back in 2014.
The roll is collated each year by the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Rural Women’s Network to formally recognise and thank inspiring rural women volunteers.
It’s primarily due to Lyn that Navanka and indeed the whole family accept volunteerism as a way of life.
Lyn used to bring along animals from her Glen Innes Stables whenever there was a family fun day, and roped in the family to help. And that was just the beginning.
Although Navanka now has a paid role with the Glen Innes Severn Council as event coordinator, she’s been involved with the Australian Celtic Festival since she was six or seven as her family ran the dog trials featured each year. She joined the festival committee in 2015.
Lyn is synonymous with the northern district exhibit at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, and Navanka has been helping her nan out in that endeavour since she was about 10.
Along the way there’s been more helping out at Pony Club, the Glen Innes Show, and lots of other community activities.
“It’s pretty much anything that goes on,” Navanka said.
“Nan roped all of us in.”
Navanka still finds time to volunteer, being a member of the new Youth Advisory Committee and helping out in an unpaid capacity at events like Chill in Glen and the Outlander gathering. And she loves it.
“Whatever you put into the community, you get back,” she said.
Navanka said she never feels stranded, knowing there will always be someone to help her out thanks to all the connections she has made through volunteering.
She kids her grandmother that she is catching up on her, having made the honour roll at the young age of 24. It’s a heart-warming honour that they share, but one which doesn’t come as a surprise to those who know them.
After a long stint Lyn may be attempting to pull back from some of her volunteer commitments (somewhat in vain), but her granddaughter has many years of community contribution ahead of her and already many years of experience under her belt.
Navamka said it was really lovely to hear the news that she had been acknowledged on the honour roll.
“I was chuffed,” she said.
The 2018 honour roll was officially launched at the NSW Rural Women’s Gathering held recently at Merimbula. Navanka’s citation reads:
Navanka would give her all to support her community. Born and bred in Glen Innes, she went away to study and then brought her qualification as an events coordinator back to her rural roots. There are many aspects of the community that Navanka has been a part of — since the age of 19 she has been on the Celtic Festival committee, she has spoken on behalf of the community at Rural Women’s Day functions, assisted with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter support group, and happily assists wherever she is needed. At the ripe age of 24, she is an excellent representative for the Glen Innes community, and a wonderful role model for other young women.
