By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
KEITH Grant remembers the moment he first saw an advertisement for the Narre Warren SES in the local paper.
It was 2006 and the Narre Warren unit had only started up 14 months before.
A decade later, as the Narre Warren SES gets ready to formally celebrate its 10th anniversary this September, Keith finds himself to be the unit’s longest serving member.
“I went down to an open day around September 2006,” the 60-year-old recalled this week.
“I put in an expression of interest and became a trainee member from late 2006-2007.
“As part of the SES I’m currently involved with community education, visiting schools, as well as doing stuff at the depot.”
As his kids got older, Keith found he had more time to give back to the community and return to his volunteering roots.
“Basically years earlier when I was living at home with my parents I was part of the Ferntree Gully Lions Club,” he said.
“And years later I saw an ad for the SES open day… one of my colleagues at work was in an SES unit on the other side of town and I thought – yeah, that’s probably something I can do.
“I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to get into – I just wanted to get into something community minded.”
After all this time it’s the Wednesday training sessions, followed by a catch-up coffee, that are highlights for Keith.
He envisages himself staying a member of the Narre Warren SES for a long time yet.
“I get a lot of satisfaction from my role, talking to kids, getting down to Rotary and Lions clubs,” Keith said.
“I’m quite happy to stay for as long as they want me for.
“It’s almost become like a second family.”
The Narre Warren SES will hold its 10th anniversary celebrations on Saturday 19 September, from 6pm, at Amberlee Receptions in Cranbourne.
Tickets are $45 for general guests.
For more information and tickets phone Tim on 0427 777 349, or email narrewarren@ses.vic.gov.au.
