Helen Walker, a long-time locker room attendant on the Australian Open, has been recognised with an Order of Australia for her work within the wider neighborhood.
26 January 2024 | Jackson Mansell
“Love God, love individuals.”
That is Helen Walker’s lifelong conviction and one she applies to her three areas of labor: her full-time job as a social employee; her volunteer work with girls newly launched from jail; and her annual position as a locker room attendant on the Australian Open.
From a younger age, Walker has made it her endeavour to assist individuals, citing her upbringing as the explanation for her compassionate nature.
“A very good household,” she explains. “I had good mother and father, good brothers and sisters and I’ve acquired a religion as properly.
“As I acquired older, I realised, ‘Wow! Different individuals don’t have it nearly as good as me’. So, I simply made it my mission to offer out what I’d been given, which is love and assist.”
Walker has been concerned on the Australian Open since 1998, spending most of her time as a locker room attendant at Rod Laver Area, a task that happened by probability.
“I used to be provided the job randomly as a result of the woman that was going to do it fell pregnant, and she or he didn’t wish to threat being on her toes all day,” she says about her begin on the event. “I used to be requested to do it and I’ve stored coming again yearly. I find it irresistible.”
What makes her job so gratifying are the individuals she interacts with each day. Walker has developed many lifelong friendships all through her time at Melbourne Park.
“Through the years, I’ve shaped some actually good relationships with a number of the gamers, but in addition a number of the workers. I really like that a part of tennis – renewing friendships and simply seeing what they’ve been doing all year long,” Walker says.
“With out saying names, there’s fairly a number of gamers that ship me messages on my birthday and vice versa.”
“I deal with the underside participant the identical because the world primary.”
It’s an perspective that has rewarded Walker with an Order of Australia Medal, after the recipients have been introduced on Friday. Nominated by Jail Community, Walker has been recognised for her voluntary work and repair to the neighborhood.
“It’s fairly unbelievable,” Walker responded. “I suppose you do volunteer work not wanting something in return, so it’s superb.”
She admits the satisfaction of serving to others and seeing them succeed is essentially the most rewarding facet of her work.
“Seeing individuals with the ability to have a way of value is a very powerful factor,” Walker explains. “I’ve seen a variety of heartache, however I’ve seen a variety of breakthroughs. To see them [the people she helps] residing life is unbelievable.”
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