It's a day to say thanks to SES volunteers around the country, and the members of the Forster Pacific Palms SES unit certainly enjoyed the appreciation of the public on Wear Orange Wednesday.
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Set up at the Service NSW office in Manning Street, Tuncurry, unit commander Greg Dodd and his fellow volunteers spent the day enjoying recognition from the community for the important but often overlooked work they do.
"The response has been really good," Mr Dodd said.
"Everyone has been asking us what we're about and saying thanks."
With a cake to share around and a visit from Paddy the Platypus, the day was also about the unit connecting with the local community as they sought to recruit new members.
And it worked, with Forster Tuncurry Lions Club member Bernard Pearson joining up.
With just nine members at present, plus an additional community action team at Forster Keys, Mr Dodd said the unit was fairly thin on the ground and in need of some new faces.
He encouraged anyone interested to get in touch, particularly women and young people over 16, saying it was a great way to gain some hands-on skills.
"The benefits are they get a lot of experience that doesn't cost them anything, and they're servicing their community," he said.
"They can learn how to drive a boat, drive vehicles, use a chainsaw, tarp a roof, sandbag, and just comfort people in distress."
Mr Dodd also stressed there were no restrictions on joining (other than being over 16), and people were welcome regardless of their background or lack of experience.
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With the unit relocating to a new and improved base at Grey Gum Road, Tuncurry, in October, Mr Dodd said they had plans to go massive for Wear Orange Wednesday next year and also intended to become a lot more visible in the community by getting out and making the public aware of the important work they do.
From responding to storms, floods and other natural disasters to assisting the elderly and running a cadet program at the Great Lakes College Tuncurry campus, Mr Dodd said the SES was there to help the community in times of need.
He also said they were open to collaborating with other community groups, having recently struck up a relationship with Forster Tuncurry Lions Club that was set to benefit both organisations.
"It makes everybody's job so much easier if we all work together," he said.
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