7 Aura locals making a difference: Mel, fundraising coordinator - Baringa State Primary School P&C

With Stockland Aura celebrating its 7th birthday this year, we caught up with Mel to find out more about her volunteer role supporting the local school community and what she loves about living and volunteering in Aura.

What is your volunteer role and how long have you been volunteering with Baringa State Primary School P&C?
I am currently the fundraising coordinator at Baringa State Primary School P&C and have been volunteering my time to support the school over the past three years.

Why did you decide to volunteer and what do you love most about the role?
I love our school and the community we are all helping to build. I decided to join the P&C because a friend asked me to be involved and it is great being a part of something special. I also love planning, organising, being sociable and helping to coordinate wonderful events for our school and the local community.

What would you say to others to encourage them to volunteer?
Community is so important and we are fortunate to live in such a beautiful place on the Sunshine Coast. I love being out and about meeting new people and helping make our Aura community even more amazing. Volunteering is great because it is something that you can either do a little or a lot of, to fit in with your lifestyle and it can make the biggest difference to others in the community. Volunteering your time is the greatest gift you can give and is such a great way to meet others in our community too. I am currently working with a team of like-minded community members to bring together an Aura Community Christmas event in partnership with the P&C, local church and chaplaincy service. We have had so many local businesses jump on board to sponsor our event and I’m blown away by the generosity of our community. Mark the 2nd of December in your diary and keep your eye on our Facebook page for further details about this exciting event.

When you’re not volunteering, what do you like to do in your spare time and what are your passions?
I love baking, shopping, planning holidays and parties and spending time with my friends and family.

If you could have 7 extra hours in a day, how would you spend them?
Relaxing with my family and walking along the beach with a coffee every morning would definitely top the list. I would have to say that the extra hours would also be beneficial to tackle the washing and ironing that seems to always creep up on me at the end of each week!

What do you love most about the Aura community?
I love my amazing circle of friends and our wonderful school. Living in Aura, we are lucky to have access to new and exciting things as our community evolves and things can only get better.

Choose 7 words to describe life in Aura.
Exciting, happy, fun, busy, lively, friendly, home.