Tuesday 13th May marks 12 months since the fire at the previous Visitor Information Centre near Victoria Park Lake in Wyndham Street and is the day the volunteers will be rewarded with an afternoon tea.
Each year the Visitor Centre honours its volunteers by treating them to a morning or afternoon tea and this year the groups' celebration will be held at Billabong Café.
"Last year the annual event was held just after the fire which put a bit of a sombre mood on the day," said Tourism Co-ordinator, Maree Glasson.
"In the period immediately following the fire the volunteers stuck with the Visitor Centre for five months while it operated from the reception area of the Council's Welsford Street offices," said Ms Glasson. "Despite the sometimes challenging environment (due to a lack of space) not one volunteer dropped off during this period, showing their true commitment to the role as ambassadors for Greater Shepparton."
The Visitor Centre has operated from the Nixon Street premises just off Wyndham Street for seven months with visitor numbers returning to expected levels. "The new location provides plenty of parking for caravans and is easy to locate for visitors to Shepparton," said Ms Glasson. There have been noticeably more locals calling in to the Centre since the relocation, seeking information on things to see and do themselves and with visiting friends and relatives.
The recognition of the valuable work provided by volunteers coincides with National Volunteer Week which is a time for celebrating the contribution of volunteers in our community. The theme of National Volunteer week this year is "Celebrate the Power of Volunteering".
