Help wanted at the Warren

By Sarah Pearson
THE Warren Opportunity Shop has been a support to the community for 27 years, but its work has remained largely unnoticed.
The Narre Warren shop, which is affectionately known as the Warren, is tucked away next to the Narre Learning Centre in Malcolm Court. Opened in 1981, the shop recently won the Holt Electorate 2008 Australia Day team award for community service.
The Warren is run by volunteers and has a policy of putting most of its annual donations towards aiding community organisations. This includes the Narre Warren SES unit, the fire brigades of Narre Warren and Narre Warren North, the After Breast Cancer Hydrotherapy Swimming Group, and the Casey Kidz Club.
Many of the Warren’s current team of volunteers have been working at the shop for a decade, with some past members working for up to 18 years.
However, recent retirements mean that the Warren needs more volunteers to help it continue its valuable community service.
Shifts are available in the afternoons on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but the Warren’s supervisor, Barbara Cassar, says more people could work at busier times. Each shift lasts three hours, and includes stock sorting, tidying and working on the register.
The Warren Opportunity Shop is open from Monday to Thursday from 10am-4pm, on Fridays from 10am-3.30pm and on Saturdays from 9am-noon. To volunteer call Barbara Cassar on 9796 7144 on Mondays or Thursdays.