This week is National Volunteering Week (16 May – 22 May 2022), so we are taking the chance to recognise the many members of our Core PA team who volunteer their time to community organisations, schools and charities.  

Dave Mason is the Founder and President of Next Generation Project Managers, the Sunshine Coast Project Management Community of Practice.  Next Generation is an Incorporated Association established to promote Project Management and to act as an industry group to showcase the Sunshine Coast Project Management community. Together with the assistance of Elisa Caruso, Core PA’s project administrator and Secretary for Next Gen, they continue to organise events to help connect Sunshine Coast project management professionals across the construction, utilities, IT and Healthcare industries.  

Grant Axman-Friend, has a passion for sustainability and has commenced his third year as the P&C Sustainability Committee Chair for Jamboree Heights State School in Brisbane’s west and is an AIPM Queensland Chapter Committee member.  

Andy Wyer, who in his youth represented Australia in Beach Volleyball, is now using these skills to help grow future athletes as a volleyball and baseball coach for Pine Hills Lightning Baseball Club, Norths Volleyball Association, and Craigslea State High School.  

Other great supporters of their local schools are Sonya Hargreaves who manages our Document Control team and Shannon Axman-Friend, our Business Administrator. Sonya is on the P&C committee and Fundraising group for Caloundra State School, assisting with various school events and Shannon is a member of the Jamboree Heights State School P&C’s Performing Arts Committee, assisting with coordination of the school musical and fundraising activities along with taking on the task of organising market stalls for the 4074 Community Christmas Carols in 2021 and has been asked to assist this year too.  

Andrew Flint, one of our project managers just this week provided his 98^th blood donation to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and is very close to the next goal!

Lawrence Zanuttini, one of our project managers and consultants,  is often called out to support the community, and assist in emergencies and extreme weather conditions within his role as a member of the Kawana State Emergency Service (SES). Some of the events he has called out to assist with include Landsborough/Beerwah (8hrs Mar 22) ‘Micro Tornado’ weather event, Extraction of personnel from Mapleton Falls (6hrs Oct 21). Lawrence received the 2021 encouragement award for SES Kawana shed for his contributions. 

Recently Jade Shirtliff, a member of our document controls team volunteered as a “Citizen Scientist” in the Great Glossy Count. She was taught how to look for signs and record if the Glossy Black-Cockatoo had been in an area. The data recorded helps to inform bushfire recovery work by collecting information on Glossy Black-Cockatoo flocks and feed trees, so they can be protected and managed appropriately. 

We are extremely proud of the great service and commitment our team shows in giving of their time to these very worthwhile causes and Core PA is happy to continue supporting them through our paid community service leave initiative and through donations we make to local charities and community groups that our staff support. It is part of our commitment to ensure our business contributes to improving our community and its resilience.