Until not so long ago the word ‘volunteer’ was one Jan Cronin hadn’t ever given much thought to, because to her the act of volunteering is simply what you do for your local community.
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Ever since she was a small child Ms Cronin has been an active member of the Merriwa community and she has never known any different but to help out where she can.
A very shy and modest woman, Ms Cronin believes she doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary, but that very decorum and her willingness to stretch herself far and wide for others is what makes her an extraordinary lady.
A born and bred Merriwa citizen, Ms Cronin has lived and loved the small rural town in the west of the Upper Hunter Shire for many years.
Growing up with the best of both worlds, Ms Cronin was the eldest of seven children with two younger brothers and four sisters.
The children lived with their mum and dad in town throughout the week and then spent weekends on the family cattle farm, near Battery Rock, with their grandparents where many fond memories were made, such as setting out at daylight with their father, rabbit traps over the shoulder, on a mission to check the traps and make a dollar for the day.
Later, when Ms Cronin was about 16, the family moved out to the farm permanently so her dad could take over the reins from her grandfather, who was a kiwi who served in World War I.
This was just one of many traditions that were the way of life back then and had a big influence on the person Ms Cronin grew to be.
Back in those days some of the roads were still dirt and the children were given swimming lessons at the ‘Double Crossings’ in the creek, which evidently developed a hatred for swimming in the young girl’s mind, one she still holds today.
Cassilis was a town with shops and Merriwa was very different to it is today, however the youngster still attended the same schools – Merriwa Central School and then the secondary school for her senior years.
Ms Cronin remembers learning early the importance of being a part of society in a small country town as without the people, the towns simply wouldn’t continue to run.
She said she has always made the best of life, and she has always loved working and helping out where she can, especially helping the elderly people.
Ms Cronin’s first memories of community involvement were when she was in kindergarten and became a member of the Junior Red Cross, when she and other little girls would get dressed up in their little red dresses and walk the streets selling raffle tickets.
When she was in high school, a young Jan and her friends started a Pension Club to raise money and provide a Christmas lunch for the elderly citizens in town who didn’t have any family around them for the festive time.
After finishing school Ms Cronin started work in the pharmacy section of M Campbell and Co and she has worked as a pharmacy assistant ever since, as she continued with the pharmacist when the new shop was purchased and has now been working with the same family in the local pharmacy since 1985.
Ms Cronin said she loves her job as it makes her feel good to be able to listen to people and know that they feel they can talk to her.
The only time Ms Cronin has not worked is when raising her three daughters who all attended school locally at St Joseph’s Primary School and then Merriwa Central School, before moving on to excel in various different fields.
During the time of raising her girls Ms Cronin was a Brownie leader for several years, as well as being involved in the school canteens, P&F Association, local sport and any other activities the children were involved in.
After returning to work the pace only quickened, as Ms Cronin gradually involved herself in more and more local groups and initiatives.
She is a foundation member of the Merriwa View Club, which started up about 22 years ago when she and a group of like-minded ladies who were going to Toastmasters banded together to start a fun meeting and evening out of the house for women.
This year, Ms Cronin was one of numerous people who marked 25 years as committee members of the Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces where she said they all put in a lot of work and effort throughout the year to make the event a success.
She has been a member of the Merriwa Australia Day organising committee for many years where Ms Cronin helps to organise the day and coordinate the nomination and voting of citizens and award winners.
A passionate carer of the elderly, Ms Cronin is a committee member of the Gummun Place Hostel Committee and the Gummun Place Hostel Fundraising Committee where they organise fetes and raffles to collect funds to enable them to purchase extras for the residents of the aged care hostel.
One of the group’s key fundraisers was operating the canteen at the recent three day campdraft in town, which the members thoroughly enjoyed and found quite beneficial.
The grandmother of five is also a member of the Merriwa Fitness Centre, Red Cross Club, the Merriwa Rail Society, the Merriwa Historical Society and an active member of the Merriwa Progress Association.
The progress association started when the Merriwa Shire Council amalgamated with the other shires in an aim of ensuring Merriwa people still had a voice by providing an avenue for residents to express concerns to a monthly forum.
She also fills boxes to send overseas every year for the Anglican Church’s Christmas Appeal, and the ladies of the View Club always make library bags and fill them with stationary for new students at the schools in Merriwa and Cassilis.
The busy lady also completed a Certificate III in Tourist Information Services a few years ago and works part time at the Merriwa Visitor Information Centre as a casual.
When she is not busy with one of these commitments, Ms Cronin spends her time socialising and visiting people in town, or attending Rotary dinners or any other community events, as she maintains that every moment in life is precious.
“I love living in Merriwa, we have harsh times and we have great times, but it’s a wonderful place to be.
“It’s all I’ve ever known,” Ms Cronin said.
“I want to see the traditions of the town and the region continue.
“I have always liked to do things to help and then I heard of this term ’volunteering’.
“I’m not special, I just do what I can for other people, and love and care for them,” she said.
In her spare time, Ms Cronin enjoys reading, listening to music, walking and going to the gym, what she calls the “simple things in life”.
She also loves going to the theatre and travelling, and says if she was younger she would still dance as much as she could.