Thank you to a special volunteer
For over 16 years volunteer Mike Bowden has dedicated himself to many administration tasks for the Wildcare Headquarters on a daily basis.
“I have known Mike for as long as he has volunteered for Wildcare looking after membership information. He’s always been very committed to members and helpful to staff and the stalwart of the Wildcare office. Thank you Mike for your selfless contribution!” says long-term volunteer Nanette Jaksic.
So although Mike will now take a well-deserved break from office duties, he will still continue with his valued contribution to the Wildcare Friends of Freycinet Group.
Mike Bowden (centre)
Of his time at Wildcare HQ Mike says “It’s hard to believe I’m actually “retiring” and that it has been so many years since I first began. I have mixed feelings about retiring. In some ways I’ll miss it, particularly as checking office emails and daily lists seven days a week has become ingrained. It will take a while to get my brain off autopilot! On the other hand I will now be free to do other things and besides that it will allow other people to have a go. I’ve hogged this position long enough! It’s always good to feel valued and useful and this voluntary job has certainly provided me that, especially assisting members with their queries via office email and being able to respond to them fairly promptly. I will miss the friendly and cooperative people my job brought me into contact with, but I have not of course retired from other volunteer Wildcare activities such as Group working bees and projects. I know Wildcare is in good hands management-wise and after meeting our (I still think “our”) new office volunteers I know that I won’t have to worry about standards slipping with my departure, in fact they will in all probability get higher! See page 45 Wildcare Annual Report 2016 – A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE WILDCARE OFFICE by Mike Bowden.
Wildcare CEO Sharon Smith says “We wish Mike our very best! We will miss his daily contribution, but we are very glad to still have him as a special part of Wildcare moving forward. We also send a warm welcome and big thank you to our wonderful new volunteers! “
Mike Bowden (right)