Volunteer gives back to the community
‘It’s my community: I live here’
Jan Bublitz was nominated by Volunteer Whanganui for Volunteer of the Month “firstly for her work for Creative Space as treasurer, to now in her current role as chairwoman for Special Olympics Whanganui”.
She also volunteers for CCS Disability and whatever time is left is taken up volunteering at night and on weekends as a Special Olympics volunteer.
Elizabeth Sanson of Volunteer Whanganui presented Jan with a certificate, a lapel badge and a $40 voucher supplied by Mud Ducks cafe´.
Although no longer treasurer for Creative Space, Jan still takes clients along to immerse them in art and creativity there.
“I’ve seen people blossom.” Jan was born in Stratford, raised in Taupo and travelled a lot with her work as a hotel manager for Lion Breweries. “I was one of the first women to take on the management role.”
She left there, went to Europe, married and raised a family in the Netherlands. “I spent 25 years away.”
While there she taught English to students falling behind and developed a new curriculum to facilitate that work.
When her marriage ended she came home and started over again.
“I went back to school in my 50s and completed a Bachelor of Social Services through the Wananga in Tauranga. I loved the education process and the challenges it presented, and loved the outcomes I could see were possible with a bicultural education. It has stood me in good stead since.”
She searched New Zealand for a place to buy a home and live — Whanganui measured up so she moved here.
As well as climate, the beach and other things on her list . . . “I fell in love with the architecture.”
When she got here she started cold-calling to find a job. After a lot of rejections, she called into the CCS offices in Churton St.
“I dropped my things off, had a quick conversation, got a call back the next day, and within a couple of weeks I had a job.
“I came into contact with a lot of people with disabilities and saw there were needs. There were things that were being addressed . . . ” Jan saw that she could be of help here.
“I’ve got a bloody good brain and I like to use it, and I thought I could give something back to my community. I’ve moved here for a reason: what can I give back?
“When I started taking clients into Creative Space I got to know the people, and they started talking about what they were doing, and would I come along to one of the meetings?”
So, Jan did. She put her hand up for the treasurer’s role and was duly elected.
She has a lot of respect for the purpose and methods of Creative Space, where people learn to use artistic expression as a tool in their lives.
“I watched people go in there and change from a caterpillar into a butterfly.”
She got involved beyond the treasurer’s role, and helped out where she could.
“I got to know people, because that is why I do it.
“Through another avenue of my work, I ended up volunteering for the Special Olympics.”
She took on a team management role, leaving the coach free to coach. She did that for a year before being asked to assume the mantle of chairperson.
“In my nearly five years in Whanganui, I’ve done a lot of volunteer work and I’ve loved every moment of it. I love results. It’s my community: I live here.”
Jan’s voluntary work is over and above her paid employment. “If I can give back to a community that is undervalued, at this point in time, then I will continue to do that.”
All of this work is made a little bit harder because Jan lives with rheumatoid arthritis, and it is very painful. She has had this condition for the past 30 years. “It stops me doing some things, but it doesn’t stop me doing the things I really need to do.”
Although she holds a brush differently from how she used to, Jan can paint. She does it for fun and for friends.
“I’m loving what I’m doing, so life is pretty good,” says Jan.