Galentine’s Day: Busselton volunteers celebrate 13 years of friendship
Company, conversation and coffee are the key to a lifelong friendship, according to good friends and Vinnies Busselton retail volunteers Sandy and Mercia.
What began as a way to stay active in their local community through volunteering at Vinnies eventually grew into a solid 13-year friendship filled with fun, laughter and support.
Having volunteered at Vinnies for the past 25 years, Mercia – who splits her time between the Busselton shop and the adjacent Vinnies Emergency Relief Support Centre – said keeping busy and staying connected to people is what motivates her to come back each week.
“We could sit at home and do nothing and be depressed, but when you come in here, you can’t be depressed,” Mercia said.
“We love to dance; we love to laugh; and we love to sing. We just fill our days at the shop with laughter…and if we can do that, then we can go home and face just about anything.”
Sandy has fond memories of the day she met Mercia and Dot for the first time.
“I remember thinking how lovely they were. They made me feel so welcome and offered to help me whenever I needed it,” she said. “So our friendship grew from there.”
For Sandy, what further cemented their friendship was the support she received following a breast cancer diagnosis five years ago.
It was Mercia and Dot’s friendship got her through what was one of the toughest moments in her life.
“If we didn’t have the laughs and all the support, I wouldn’t be here,” Sandy said.
Sadly, the pair lost Dot three years ago to cancer.
But they said her memory lives on in all the good times they shared together at Vinnies and beyond.
“We would catch up once a month, with our partners, and we’d celebrate birthdays and Christmas together,” Sandy said.
“When Dot passed, it broke our hearts – she was a very special lady.”
“We love to dance; we love to laugh; and we love to sing. We just fill our days at the shop with laughter…and if we can do that, then we can go home and face just about anything. ”
Despite their loss, the women said their friendship is stronger than ever.
“We’ve seen each other go through marriage breakdowns, losses…but we’re all here for each other. It’s lovely to have someone to confide in who’s not family,” Sandy said.
“We always make it a point of keeping in touch, that’s what’s important.”
Traditionally, Valentine’s Day has been all about celebrating love between couples – but in recent years, Galentine’s Day has been growing in popularity.
Unofficially celebrated on February 13, Galentine’s Day honours female friendships like Sandy’s and Mercia’s, serving as a powerful reminder of how ‘women supporting women’ can create long-lasting connections.
As for whether they’ll be celebrating ‘Galentine’s Day’ together, the women laughed: “We don’t need an excuse to catch up.”
(CTA at end of story) Vinnies’s retail shops couldn’t run without dedicated volunteers like Sandy and Mercia.
We’re looking for more retail superstars to help out at our Vinnies shops in Busselton, Manjimup and Albany.
Create lasting connections and make an impact in your local community by becoming a volunteer at Vinnies today. To find out more or to apply, click here.