By David Kavanagh | posted on November 29, 2019
STUDENTS at Albany Secondary Education Support Centre showed their appreciation for emergency volunteers last Thursday when they donated a year’s worth of raised funds to Albany State Emergency Service.
The cohort raised the money over the course of the last year by selling coffee and homemade shortbread biscuits to their teachers and other staff at the Centre.
ASESC student and chief coordinator of the initiative Braedon Steyl said SES volunteers played an important part in the community.
The 17-year-old has been volunteering at SES units in Denmark and Albany for the last three years and has helped out during vertical rescues.
“The stuff they do is remarkable. They go off Bluff Knoll, the Gap, you don’t see how much they do but the headlines are crazy,” he said.
“It was actually me that decided we donate to SES because I know how much they do and I know how much they need the money.”
The students’ contribution comes several weeks after Albany South Coast Lions Club donated six alpine kits worth thousands of dollars to the group to assist in cold climate operations.
SES volunteer Denise Johnson, who met with the students during a luncheon at Emu Point, told them every little bit helped.
“Knowing you guys have gone to so much effort, that’s actually a really big thing for us,” she said.
“When anybody chooses to donate, it just makes us feel like we’re a valued part of the community.”
ASESC runs enterprise programs like the coffee stall as part of its Certificate I in Business each year.
According to the Centre’s Robyn Sellenger, these help students learn important life skills, prepare them for a real workplace and give them a chance to give back to the community.