16/09/2026
🧡 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT | MEET CARLA 🧡
👀 We’re continuing our Volunteer Spotlights, and this week it’s time to introduce Carla!
At 69 (and turning 70 next month — yes, there will be cake! 🎂) Carla proves that volunteering, learning new skills and having adventures definitely don’t have an age limit!
🏡 A little bit about Carla…
Born in The Netherlands, Carla moved to New Zealand when she was four before eventually making the move to WA in 2008.
Outside of SES, Carla loves spending time with her family, walking her dog, gardening, listening to music and making quilts for charity. She’s also a member of the Narrogin and Cuballing Sewing Groups and loves finding ways to give back to her community.
After an incredible 52 years of working, Carla retired in November last year — but sitting still clearly wasn’t on the agenda! 😂
👩⚕️ A career of helping others
Carla worked as a registered nurse for 27 years in New Zealand, bringing a wealth of healthcare knowledge and life experience with her to SES.
And her adventures don’t stop there…
🤿 Scuba diving in New Zealand
🥾 Hiking through the Southern Alps
🏍️ Four-wheel motorcycling in Mexico
🏔️ Climbing mountains in the USA
⛵ Sailing on the winning yacht in the America’s Cup… well, after the races! 😂
And because apparently retirement wasn’t busy enough, Carla recently gained her bar manager’s certificate to help out at the Narrogin Bowling Club! 🍻
🎵 Music lover? Absolutely!
Carla has a whopping 87 hours of music on her playlist — which is on continual repeat! 🎶
🌎 If she could travel anywhere tomorrow…
She’d be heading back to Canada and Alaska. 🇨🇦🏔️
🧡 Why Narrogin SES?
Carla wanted to continue being of service to the community in a meaningful way.
“I am not a fan of sitting round and hoped my health care skills and admin skills could be of use.”
And we’re certainly glad she found us!
🚨 What surprised Carla about SES?
The diversity of the team.
Everyone brings their own skills, knowledge and experiences, and Carla says she’s been impressed by how willingly members support the community — and each other. She also values how she has seen the unit rise to each occasion they have been asked to assist, giving up family to help.
She particularly loves that everyone is welcoming, willing to learn and not afraid to get their hands dirty! 💪
🛠️ And yes… Carla gets to play with the tools!
The team has supported and encouraged her from the beginning, and she’s found that age has certainly not been a barrier.
There are plenty of ways to contribute without having to climb onto roofs or take on physically demanding roles — and Carla has found her own valuable place within the team.
💭 One thing SES has taught Carla:
“Everyone is strong in their own way and you need to value their contributions before judging them.”
⭐ Her advice to anyone thinking about joining:
Give it a go!
Learn about the organisation, discover how you can contribute to your community, learn new skills, refresh old ones and become part of a great team.
There are opportunities to ride in the SES truck 😊, learn new skills, ‘go up the ranks’ and grow as a person by giving back to your community.
🧡 Carla, we’re so glad you decided not to sit around after retirement!
Thank you for bringing your experience, enthusiasm, skills and sense of adventure to Narrogin SES. 🚨🧡
