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St Peters Library: Smiljka
27/08/2025
When Smiljka Pasic migrated to Australia from Serbia more than twenty years ago, she did not speak a word of English.
A respected teacher in Serbia’s education department, Smiljka was overcome with emotions as she left her economically ravaged homeland that began to fall apart as a result of the Yugoslav civil wars of the 1990’s.
However, Smiljka was eager to embrace Australian culture and decided immediately that she wanted to learn as much as she could about her new country.
“When I came to Australia and then to Adelaide, I thought to myself, you can’t love something you don’t know,” Smiljka said.
That is when Smiljka, now 72, decided to volunteer her services and learn more about South Australia, its people, history and way of life.
Justice of the Peace: Sudhir
27/08/2025
As one of the Council’s Volunteer Justices of the Peace, Sudhir Thakur is a familiar face at the Norwood Town Hall and on The Parade, Norwood.
Inspired by his late mother’s dedication to serving her community, Sudhir has become a committed Volunteer for the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, in addition to giving his time to a host of other charitable causes.
“My mother came from a very modest, lower middle-class strata of the Indian society, says Sudhir.
“Volunteering for the benefit of others when we ourselves were struggling to make ends meet was truly commendable. This is what inspired me to become a Volunteer.”
After migrating to Australia from India, Sudhir became a Justice of the Peace in 2015, to act as an independent and objective witness to documents used for official or legal purposes.
Graffiti Removal Team: Daniel and Melville
27/08/2025
Melville has been in the volunteering role since 2005 when he left the Adelaide Zoo where he held his dream job of being a zoo-keeper for more than 20 years.
“Every animal had their own peculiarities and personalities. I started in the bird department and then moved to the mammal department eventually becoming a rover. But you wouldn’t have known I was there. It was mainly behind the scenes, just like graffiti removal really,” Melville said.
Melville likens the way vandals mark walls and buildings to the way animals spray to mark their territory.
“It might be arrogant or ego driven” Melville 64, said. “Other times it is just mindless squiggles and a waste of resources.”
Daniel, aged 21, decided to join his father when he was at a career crossroads and couldn’t decide whether to follow in his dad’s footsteps and work at the zoo or find an entirely new path.
Pet Care Program: Kerry-Anne
27/08/2025
Supporting our Community and their pets Kerry-Anne, the Community Services Coordinator at the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, wears two hats at the Council.
In addition to her daily role, she dedicates her lunch breaks to volunteering in the Council’s Pet Care Program, supporting community members who need assistance with walking their beloved pets.
Since joining the program in 2020, Kerry-Anne’s commitment to dog walking has grown into a deeply meaningful part of her week.
“The first dog I was matched with was Paddy, a young Beagle full of personality,” she recalls with a smile. “Paddy would sometimes take me for a walk when he picked up an interesting scent!” Kerry-Anne walked Paddy every Sunday for three years, building a lasting bond with both the dog and his owner.
Friends of the Billabong Program and Council Events: Savia and Vinod
27/08/2025
Savia Coelho describes moving to South Australia from Mumbai, India, as a “daunting experience”. While navigating immigration red tape, juggling being a mother to two young children, Savia and her husband Vinod felt a huge amount of uncertainty. This all changed when Savia and Vinod, of Payneham, choose to volunteer with the Council.
“My husband and I thrive around people. I started off as a Volunteer at the Payneham Library and then my husband and I became Volunteers as part of the Friends of the Billabong Program,” Savia says.
“We really love spending time amidst the gum trees with our two young kids... building a deeper understanding of the people and environment we live in,” she says.
“The only way you can make a new country your own is by keeping an open mind and open arms. And that's what I decided to do and I jumped into volunteering to find a sense of belonging and community.” Savia also uses her marketing skills to assist with Sustainable Communities SA as well as one-off events such as Pop-Up Wheel Park and Raising the Bar, in which she co-hosted a session at the 2021 event.
Home Library Service: Glenys
27/08/2025
Glenys Raveane’s career involved 45 years of working across a range of human services—disability, ageing, young people and various other health areas.
Upon her retirement, Glenys, of Stepney, wanted to delve into something completely different.
“Initially I sought to do some book repair work at my local library. Reading and literacy are things I have always been interested in,” she said.
“I have also been very interested in the work done in communities by Local Government.”
Since January 2021, Glenys, has been a Home Library Service Volunteer—offering her time and company for a couple of hours on a Tuesday and a Friday once a month.
“There are some people who just like to have their books swapped over and others who may be at home and with whom I can have a chat.”
Stepping Out Program: Tolga
27/08/2025
Never underestimate the power of humanity. This is the powerful message that Volunteer Tolga Okar wants to share with his global community.
Tolga, who is originally from Istanbul, has lived and worked all over the world. With an Honours Degree in English Philology from Istanbul University, the Certified Digital Marketing and Sales Professional said he never once anticipated he would be a Volunteer at the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters.
But life is about experiences and Tolga has a very enriched and encouraging outlook.
Tolga, who is fluent in Turkish, English, French and with a good understanding of Mandarin and German, was faced with a very uncertain future when he was made redundant after moving to South Australia, with his wife and son aged six, in January 2019.
“I struggled to find a job which was parallel to my experience and corporate level of work,” Tolga said.
“It was right before COVID-19, I was in a new City, my only contact in Adelaide was the Turkish Association of South Australia who advised me to use my multinational intercultural human experiences and languages as a Volunteer.”
Tolga is now a Volunteer with the Council’s Stepping Out Program, and he has developed a special bond with a lady named Claire, who contacted the Council after experiencing loneliness due to various health conditions.
Community Bus Driver: Paul
26/08/2025
Since retiring from a long and fulfilling career as a schoolteacher and principal in South Australia’s Department of Education, Paul has been volunteering his time for the benefit of our community.
Volunteering with the Council since 2017, Paul says that his volunteer commitments continue to be an important part of his retirement plan, as it enables him to maintain social
interactions among a host of other benefits.
“Now that I am retired, and have good health and time, I enjoy helping out in my community."
“I get satisfaction knowing that I am using a skill I have to provide a service and be a support to others.”
Paul says that driving the community bus provides him with the opportunity to be part of a team that delivers vital services for our community while also helping to showcase the premium food and beverage manufacturers that our City is best known for.
Aged Care Visitor: Amoriette
25/08/2025
Amoriette Pérez moved from Chile to Adelaide in January 2023 with her husband and son. A qualified psychologist with a Master's in Educational Psychology, she quickly embraced the change and settled in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters.
Amoriette now volunteers as an Aged Care Volunteer Visitor at Estia Health – Kensington Gardens, supporting a resident named Margaret.
I believe volunteering gives you a purpose in life, adds meaning, and fosters personal growth.
Volunteering has brought her joy and a sense of belonging. "Two years ago, thinking about this opportunity in Australia was an unthinkable reality," she reflects." Now, I believe volunteering gives you a purpose in life, adds meaning, and fosters personal growth."
Remembering Kingsley Turner: St Peters Billabong Volunteer
07/07/2025
The late Kingsley Turner was a committed and passionate volunteer with the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, who worked tirelessly to restore and maintain the St Peters Billabong.
Kingsley was formally recognised by the Council for his extensive and valued contributions when he was awarded the Council’s 2009 Citizen of the Year Award.
In 2013, Kingsley’s 20 Years of Volunteering Service to the local community was celebrated at the Council’s Volunteers Christmas Dinner, where he was presented with a Bronze Medal for his services.
Kingsley also worked closely with the Council to develop a walk as part of the Council’s program for South Australia's History Festival, which explored the changing nature of the River Torrens at St Peters and the impact of European settlement in the 19th century.
Sadly, Kingsley passed away in January 2017, leaving the legacy of a better St Peters Billabong for the whole community to enjoy for many generations to follow.
