‘A wave of people that make it happen’: Meet new Wagin Woolorama volunteer co-ordinator Maxine McKenzie

Wrangling hundreds of volunteers and keeping them happy is no mean feat, but it is one that new Wagin Woolorama volunteer coordinator Maxine McKenzie is thoroughly enjoying in the lead up to the event. She has been to every Woolorama since she moved to the area in 2014 and said it was incredible how much work went on behind the scenes to make the event run like clockwork each year. Last year she was appointed volunteer coordinator, a big part of which involves making sure volunteers thrive in their role. It comes after she was the event secretary in 2015, when Malcolm Edwards was president. “My first show was 2015 and that’s when I met the spirit of Woolorama,” she said. “What that felt like, without really knowing anyone, or anything ... when the show happened, it was like being carried on a wave of people that made the show happen. It was a remarkable experience.” Having now learned more about the Woolorama, she describes it as a “well-oiled machine” that comes together thanks to the “collective pool of knowledge and experience” of volunteers. “That is the magic of Woolorama,” she said. “While the appearance and essence of the Woolorama remains the same, Wagin Agricultural Society staff continually take steps to make it fresh.” Ms McKenzie’s role was created in response to new workplace health and safety requirements, and the difficulty recruiting volunteers. Her first job is to work with Woolorama head stewards to help demystify the “volunteer magic” to find out “who does what” with the goal of developing a volunteer register. “This will enable the many individual volunteer contributions to be recorded and to recognise both the volunteer and their role ... and to make sure the proper duty of care is in place for our volunteers,” Ms McKenzie said. “I hope the role will develop to help improve volunteer engagement to help contribute to the long-term sustainability of the Wagin Woolorama and the considerable benefits it brings to the community.” Volunteering is something many Wagin residents know all about, with most thrown in to some form of helping out since they were able to walk and talk. From volunteering at the gate to helping with parking, to cooking and cleaning, or marshalling — there is plenty to be done. Wagin Woolorama president Paul Powell has been volunteering since the 1970s and said keeping those who were helping out enthusiastic and energetic was crucial to making sure they came back each year. With a huge line-up of events, each Wagin Woolorama has plenty for locals, farmers and tourists attending the two-day event. This year’s event will be on March 10 and 11.