‘This country gave me a second chance, I feel it’s my duty to do some good’
Chung Dang’s belt might be black, but his heart is pure gold. For 30 years, Mr Dang has been training kids and adults in martial arts at Bankstown PCYC. He was one of many local stars highlighted for DoSomething Day.
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Chung Dang’s belt might be black, but his heart is pure gold.
For 30 years, Mr Dang has been training kids and adults in martial arts at Bankstown PCYC. Twice a week, the Bankstown retiree runs viet quyen dao classes — a Vietnamese style of martial arts.
Mr Dang decided to become a volunteer, shortly after arriving in Australia as a refugee from Vietnam in 1975.
“This country gave me a second chance to be a citizen, so I feel it’s my duty to do some good,” Mr Dang said.
Bankstown PCYC club manager Alistair Foggo, said Mr Dang’s enthusiasm for volunteering is a force to be reckoned with. “I once saw him limp in on half a leg a week after he had surgery,” he said.
Bankstown PCYC has up to 20 volunteers from all walks of life but always need more. Email bankstown@pcycnsw.gov.au.
Dads help out
What started as a bunch of “coffee dads” has become a group of volunteers for Bankstown’s Recreation, Sports and Aquatics Club.
Last year, dads whose children attend RSAC — which provides activities for people with a disability — met for a cuppa and scrambled eggs to “talk about the world’s problems”.
A year on, they volunteer their time and barbecue skills for the RSAC. “We were all retired so we had a bit of time on our hands,” Leon Sugrim said.
“When you’re in a club like this, that is virtually supported by volunteers, it came naturally to us.”
On DoSomething Day, the Men of Drama Coffee Club (their kids do RSAC drama) were busy in the kitchen, getting it ready for cooking classes.
Jenny Bombardieri, executive officer with RSAC, said it was special for the kids to have their dads involved.
“Having your dad involved makes you feel important,” Ms Bombardieri said.
“All of a sudden it becomes a family affair and your self esteem goes up. But it’s also great for the mental health of the dads too.”
RSAC has been operating for 30 years providing sport, recreation, social activities and opportunities for people with any type of disability.
The organisation is always looking for more volunteers, not just on DoSomething Day.
Email: rsaclub@bigpond.net.au
Betty on the run to help others
At 95, Betty Seery is a runner for Bankstown’s Meals on Wheels. Every fortnight, the Picnic Point volunteer partners with a driver, taking food from the car to homes across Bankstown.
It’s something she’s been doing for almost 30 years and a program she can’t speak highly enough of. “It’s one of the best things around,” Ms Seery said. She is one of 260 volunteers who give their time to Canterbury-Bankstown Council’s Meals on Wheels, to deliver up to 200 meals a day.
Bankstown Meals on Wheels’ Pat Pride said: “It’s not all about the meal.”
“The volunteers bring the paper in and have chat, sometimes they are the only face they see.”
“I sincerely appreciate each and every volunteer for their continued work,” council administrator Richard Colley said.
Bankstown was one of the first councils to get involved with Meals on Wheels in 1966, and started with just 13 volunteers.
“Now we have 260 volunteers who deliver more than 55,000 meals a year,” Mr Colley said.
“I sincerely appreciate each and every volunteer for their continued work in the community.”
Gifts stave off the cold
Guardian Funerals has once again shown its generosity, collecting blankets to keep homeless people warm on cold nights.
Branches across Sydney, including Bankstown, Leppington and Campbelltown, took part in the annual event, encouraging people to drop off their unwanted blankets for the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Guardian Funerals location manager Greg Baxter handed over more than 100 blankets at Bankstown to Vinnies Sydney executive officer Graeme Roche for DoSomething.
Mr Roche said the blankets would be given to rough sleepers on Vinnies night patrols in Sydney CBD and Liverpool.
Plenty to shout about
Every Wednesday, Budgewoi couple Robyn Newman and Ross Fleming drive down to Bankstown Sports Club’s Greenfield Station bistro to shout lunch to Ms Newman’s mum, Norma Grant, who lives in Bankstown.
On DoSomething Day, the family joined hundreds of Bankstown Sports members who grabbed a $5 voucher to treat someone special.
Fordham backs day for giving
2GB radio host Ben Fordham’s fans flocked to Revesby Workers’ Club to hear his Sydney Live show broadcast from the President’s Lounge.
The Australian Ninja Warrior host lent his star power to DoSomething Day. People snapped up Ben’s Bangers, a special sausage cooked on the day with gold coin donations to the Asbestos Diseases Foundation, matched dollar for dollar by ClubsNSW and Revesby Workers’.
The club also collected 3000 books for schools, Bankstown City Aged Care and the ICON Cancer Centre.
Fordham dined with Padstow couple Phyllis and Rex Rutter and granddaughter Chelsea Cook and chatted on air. He said volunteering was a good thing to do but it also made you feel good.
“I am blown away by younger people who set up charities and do amazing things.”
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