Today's voiceIntegrity
“The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like the wrong doer.”— Marcus Aurelius
What wrong could you answer without becoming like it?
At eighty-eight, Rob Fawl lives alone in Corio. Three days each week, he travels to Labuan Square in nearby Norlane and volunteers at the Good Neighbourhood Project’s community hub.
For six years, Rob has kept returning from Tuesday through Thursday. He staffs the free fruit-and-vegetable stand, helps with free pancake mornings and community sausage sizzles, and makes time to talk with the people who gather there.
These are not spectacular gestures. They mean someone receives fresh food, a conversation, and the reassurance of seeing a familiar face.
Rob says helping people makes life less lonely and gives him a sense of being wanted. Fellow volunteer Kate Ferreira credits his support with helping her regain confidence and move forward in her working life.
The project’s official records confirm that Lab Square Commons is volunteer-run and deliberately combines affordable food with social connection. Rob’s contribution gives that mission a human face: an ordinary person who continues showing up because belonging requires people who are willing to be present.
