Murray Bridge volunteer for over 60 years shocked to receive award
The Murray Bridge council has recognised a volunteer who has put in 60+ years of service and is still putting in.
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Although Bob Eisen has been helping his community for over 60 years, he was shocked to receive a Murray Bridge council volunteering award on Monday night to mark National Volunteer Week.
Like most volunteers who donate their time and energy to help people, Mr Eisen doesn’t do it for praise.
“As far as getting all puffed up, that’s not me,” he said.
Mr Eisen’s wife Dora knew that her husband would receive the award, but she kept it secret from him.
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The first Mr Eisen knew about the award was when Monday’s night’s gathering stood and clapped him and he was told to make a speech.
The 60 Years of Service award recognises Mr Eisen’s work on the Monarto South Memorial Hall and the Round House at Murray Bridge.
However, Mr Eisen was quick to point out that he was just one person who contributed to the improvement and maintenance of the Monarto South Memorial Hall.
“It was definitely the community that did it – I was part of it, but the locals put their hands up,” he said.
Mr Eisen, who was a cereal and sheep farmer, began his volunteering in 1962 after moving to Monarto from Strathalbyn – the Monarto South Memorial Hall committee approached him to join, which began a long association.
“They wanted a young bloke to see how I performed,” he said.
Clearly, he passed muster, as he’s still on the committee.
Mr Eisen said that one of the things the committee did to raise money to keep the hall in good shape was to organise roadside stalls.
The stalls sold a variety of products, including skun rabbits, which sold out quickly.
Mr Eisen also volunteered for the CFS fire unit at Monarto from around 1979 to 1986.
In 1989, he moved to to Murray Bridge, where he did even more volunteering, joining Meals on Wheels, Neighbourhood Watch, the Blood Bank, Red Cross and more.
Mr Eisen also looks after the wonderful gardens at Murray Bridge’s Round House.
When asked to do this work around 20 months ago, he joked with typical modesty, “I’m no gardener, but I know the difference between a three-corner jack and a cauliflower.”
Since around 2000, part of Mr Eisen’s volunteering for the Murray Bridge branch of the Red Cross has involved delivering furniture to migrants in the region.
The migrants have often expressed amazement at Mr Eisen’s strength when delivering furniture.
“In my 70s, the question I got asked the most is, ‘How old are you?’” he said.
He would often deliver furniture to people who had very little, but the service was free.
‘Sometimes ... they have nothing to pay for it, but their expression paid for it.”
Mr Eisen’s family is a volunteering family who share a devotion to helping people.
“My son Trevor works for the ambulances; they wanted to give him a bravery medal, and he refused – he does it to save lives,” Mr Eisen said.
Mr Eisen’s wife Dora is also a committed volunteer, and she and her husband deliver meals together for Meals on Wheels twice a month.
Mrs Eisen thought her husband’s award was well deserved.
“I was kind of excited for Bob – he’s put in a lot of time and effort,” she said.
“Even at the farm, he’d always help neighbours if he needed it.”
“I’ll do anything to help the community,” Mr Eisen agreed.
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