Cranbourne St Vincent de Paul Society co-ordinator Marj Stephenson with Jack Geraads, retiring after 33 years as a volunteer. Picture: Stewart Chambers.
By Sarah Schwager
AFTER 33 years of volunteering for the St Vincent de Paul Society, Jack Geraads, 83, has called it a day.
Mr Geraads barely missed a week at the Cranbourne centre during his long stint there.
Cranbourne manager Heidi McDonald said it was very sad to see him go.
“I have never known a man to have so much passion to help the needy as he has. He has such a big heart,” she said.
In his time with St Vincent de Paul, Mr Geraads also set up a group with a friend dedicating many hours to spending time with the sick and those unable to leave the home.
“It’s amazing for someone his age. It should be the other way round,” Ms McDonald said. “When I worked as a nurse I was looking after people much younger than him.”
Mr Geraads first started helping out at St Vincent de Paul delivering food parcels.
Later he worked in the shop on the register and in the centre helping distribute food.
In the last 20 years he visited the store every weekend to bring in donations that were left outside the centre.
Mr Geraads retired exactly 33 years to the day from when he started.
“He was very giving,” Ms McDonald said.
“He will be very, very missed. He has already popped in a few times and said, ‘If you ever need me …’ but he definitely deserves a break now.”
