b'MARYS STORYI first started going to Nursing Mothers meetings when pregnant with my first baby in 1999. I joined in 2000 and qualified as counsellor in June 2001, just in time to be a newly qualified counsellor when we became the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1 August that year.I started going to the local group meetings to get out of the house and meet other mums. Prior to having my own children, I had never really even held a child and was quite terrified of them. I needed to learn everything there was to know about mothering and this wonderful group of mums was most welcoming.My children are now 15 and 19 years old and Im still here and still enjoying volunteering. My current roles are counsellor, breast pump hire officer and regional representative for Logan/Gold Coast Region. I also have a paid role as QLD Branch Office Manager (relief). I love organising and am quite good with computers so have also volunteered to re-do the Group Projects Catalogue. One of my hobbies is photography and that has helped a lot with taking catalogue-worthy photos for the new Group Projects Catalogue.As an example of one week in my volunteering work this year:Monday morning I went to my local group meeting and that afternoon I kept working on the Group Projects Catalogue until my family got home from school and work.Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday I worked on the catalogue and was happy to send it out on Wednesday afternoon to be checked by the rest of the group projects team and Judy Gifford, proof reader extraordinaire! I love that ABA gets so much done with volunteers spread throughout the country!Thursday I was on the Breastfeeding Helpline from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and continued with the catalogue that afternoon.Friday, yes, you guessed, it I was still working on correctionsMary is also a passionate and talented quilterand alterations to the Group Projects Catalogue. I was also putting together the minutes from our last regional meeting and doing an agenda for our next regional meeting on Monday. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!Maybe not a typical week but when Ive got a project, and I like taking on things like QLD Branch Conference registrations,Are you interested in volunteering with ABA? my volunteering is practically a full-time job, so I treat it likePerhaps you would like to train as a breastfeeding that and work on it 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. counsellor or community educator? Check our website: breastfeeding.asn.au/volunteering/public for more information about how you can get involved, or have a chat with your local group leader.December 2019Australian Breastfeeding Association | Essence |27'