1. Name: Gary Abbott
2. Age: 65
3. Have you always lived in FNQ? If not, where did you come from and how long have you been here? I was born in Canberra and came to Cairns via the Sunshine Coast in 2015
4. Volunteer role: I work on Fridays in the rehab ward, visiting patients, talking to them, hopefully helping make them smile. ?? I’ve been volunteering all my working life, It’s something I got from both my parents.
5. How long have you been volunteering with us? Since February 2018
6. How did you come to start volunteering with us? Word of mouth from another happy volunteer
7. Star sign: Aquarius
8. Interest, hobbies, past-times? Volunteering (foster care and at the Cairns Botanic Gardens), enjoying time with my rescue dogs and my friends
9. Tell us about your family – kids, grandkids, great grandkids? I’m one of four children, I have two kids and a grandson on the way.
10. What do you do with yourself when you are not helping us? When I’m not looking after kids or being a carer at home I’m walking my dogs or sleeping.
11. Are you retired? If so, what did you do before leaving the workforce? I retired at age 40, before that I was in the diplomatic service in Canberra in the overseas aid section, before that I was a chef.
12. Are you still working? If so, what is your paid employment? No way!
13. What do you enjoy about volunteering with us? The happy staff in the office, meeting patients. I also used to enjoy doing the shopping trolley.
14. Do you have any funny tales about volunteering with us? My masquerade mask day. I used to enjoy doing the shopping trolley and wheeling into wards calling out – “cigars, cigarettes, tequila” and hearing the laughs!
