The local legend who gives back every week

WHEN Gerry Surridge first moved to Inverloch 10 years ago from Ballarat he quickly noticed the strong sense of community.

The now-75-year-old has become a huge part of that community, most weeks giving about eight hours of his time volunteering at organisations such as Bayside Health and the Inverloch RSL.

He is the president of the Inverloch Fundraising Auxiliary at Bayside Health, formerly Bass Coast Health, and has been a volunteer with the Inverloch RSL for the past six years.

The auxiliary was first established in late 2020 with the goal of raising $115,000 for equipment needed to help open the new Cancer Care Centre at the Wonthaggi Hospital.

Government funding and a bequest from the Rigby family supported the centre’s main build; however, the community was asked to help fund the equipment.

It was then that Inverloch residents, businesses, service clubs, charity groups and community organisations helped the auxiliary reach its target of $115,000, which helped the L. Rigby Cancer Centre open in February 2021.

Mr Surridge said the project showed what volunteers could achieve with the support of their community, and how special it was that many patients would no longer be required to travel so far to receive their treatment.

“Just knowing the tediousness of needing to travel two and three times a week for treatment, both was really hard on the patient and their partners,” Mr Surridge said.

“The fact now that local people can be treated locally instead of making that trip across the Latrobe Valley, made me realise how great of an asset the centre was.”

Mr Surridge has also recently been appointed to Bayside Health’s community advisory panel, which helps provide feedback from the community on health services in the Bass Coast area.

His volunteer work doesn’t stop with the hospital though, also giving up his time to volunteer at the Inverloch RSL, where he is responsible for media duties, serving behind the bar, preparing snacks for happy hour and pitching in at whatever events the RSL needs help with.

He spoke about how vital volunteers are to small community organisations.

“Without volunteers, the RSL would cease to exist, because everyone’s a volunteer,” he said.

Mr Surridge said one of his fondest memories was helping collect donations from Jack Miller’s old fire engine during summer, ringing the bell through Inverloch and the caravan park, offering to give children rides. “I really enjoy the people I volunteer with,” he said.

“It gives a sense of satisfaction that you’re probably doing something for other people.”

With Volunteer Week approaching, Mr Surridge had some advice for those considering giving up some of their time.

“I’d suggest it to anyone, simply because of the satisfaction it gives them, doing something for the local community,” he said.