Centre a finalist in tourism awards
JEAN Frankland refers to her volunteer work at the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) as family time.
The Warwick resident - who has been volunteering since 1984 - said she has made eternal friendships with fellow volunteers.
"I'd miss it if I didn't keep coming back. They're just such great people to work with," she said.
"I lost my husband at the end of last year and within a week they were there cutting my grass.
"It's more than just a place to come and do a job."
The volunteers at the VIC have long been recognised as among Warwick's hardest workers, and now they can add another string to their bow - the centre this week discovered it made it into the finals of the Queensland Tourism Awards.
Supervisor Charee Aspinall said the nomination was a prestigious one.
"It's a great honour for us - there was some stiff competition this year from some great information centres in Queensland," she said.
"For a regional centre like ourselves, it's not just an information centre - we're more hands on and we receive minimum funding."
Ms Aspinall said one of the greatest things that set Warwick VIC apart was its volunteers.
"We've got such long-standing volunteers that have such a wealth of local knowledge," she said.
"Our volunteers have a strong commitment to give information that suits the visitors."
Some of the ways the VIC volunteers keep abreast of local changes is by organising bus tours of local businesses and attractions.
