commitment to Whyalla community on show
Volunteers lend a hand to annual event
Behind every successful community event is a dedicated team of volunteers but this year the organisers of the Whyalla Show found themselves undermanned ahead of the August 16-17 event.
That was all the prompt needed for the OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd (Administrators Appointed) (OSM) Community and Stakeholder team to step in and deliver a crew of employee volunteers.
The OSM team rolled up their sleeves on Thursday and Friday before the Show to assist with the heavy lifting and returned on Monday to help with the clean-up operation.
“A massive shoutout and thank you to the OSM employees who rearranged their schedules to take part in this community work. It’s your willingness to go above and beyond that enables us to offer meaningful support to Whyalla’s programs and the people who need it most”
Dan Bateman, OSM Community and Stakeholder Coordinator
Dan Bateman, OSM Community and Stakeholder Coordinator, said the support provided by the business and its volunteers was a new kind of contribution – one that’s making a real difference for those already working tirelessly for the community.
“This was especially true for Whyalla Show Society President Tamy Pond, who is a driving force behind many local initiatives,” Dan said.
“Tamy is always available to assist OSM with community engagement, which made offering this support particularly meaningful.”
The team learned that the Show had recently lost one of its most valuable volunteers – someone described as being “worth four people” to the annual event.
“Thanks to our incredible team, we had volunteers step forward to form a crew of four who helped out in the lead-up to the show, and another two who pitched in for the pack-down effort on Monday,” Dan said.
“It was fantastic to have the capacity this year to lend a hand at an event we also proudly sponsor financially through the Community Support Program.”
Dan added that the support was especially rewarding given the workload Tamy carries throughout the year. She had just wrapped up NAIDOC Week before diving straight into the Whyalla Show. She is also preparing for the annual Christmas Carols and recently concluded the Little Athletics season, where she serves as president.
“With volunteer numbers already declining and many Whyalla Show Society members aging, losing such a key contributor added significant pressure,” Dan said.
“To have OSM step in and say, “We can help with that,” is exactly why our community program matters. Tamy was deeply appreciative and said the assistance was some of the best news she’d received that week.
“A massive shoutout and thank you to the OSM employees who rearranged their schedules to take part in this community work. It’s your willingness to go above and beyond that enables us to offer meaningful support to Whyalla’s programs and the people who need it most.
“Our Community Engagement team is often called upon to assist with local initiatives to support- and we’re always keen to hear from OSM employees who are ready to give up a few hours and lend a hand.”
