Volunteer work in the genes

Twenty-two years ago two Red Cross workers met in the Angolan town of Lobito, fell in love and married.

Now Monia and Stephen Hay’s daughter, Ellie, has followed in her parents’ volunteering footsteps and spends her time working at the Petone Red Cross shop.

‘‘I knew the story of how they met pretty well,’’ she said. ‘‘Over the years I got to know more and more info - Mum was in the bush, Dad was in the city and they met in town.’’

Both Monia and Stephen still work for the Red Cross, with Stephen in Samoa at the moment, on a short mission for the organisation.

The family had travelled a lot, from Angola to Geneva, close to where Monia’s family was from.

‘‘From a young age I always wanted to help. I’ve been involved in different NGOs in France.’’

Nineteen-year-old Ellie found she had a passion for helping as well.

‘‘For me it’s the whole idea of knowing where the money is going and giving up my time to help people in an environment that’s really enjoyable.’’

A fashion-lover, Ellie said there was one downside to volunteering at an op shop. ’’It’s so bad for my bank account, just looking through the clothes. I find even the bric-a-brac, if you look through it, there’s some really amazing stuff.’’

Monia is proud of the decision her daughter made to start volunteering and said it was all unprompted.

Ellie had volunteered at the Red Cross shop in Upper Hutt previously and decided on the spur of the moment to continue donating her time at the Petone site.

‘‘We were in the [Petone] shop, we were leaving and she said ‘wait a minute please’ and went back to ask.’’

Ellie’s younger brother, Timothy, has also mentioned he would like to work for the Red Cross - he’s in his final year at Hutt Valley High School.

Monia said he had been planning on studying medicine and would work for the charity in that area.