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Out of office: giving more than you take

Adam Pearce IMLa is a self-confessed adrenaline junkie. While some might run away from the fire, Adam runs towards it. Lucky for Adam’s local community, he is the Acting Chairman of his local fire brigade. That’s not all. Adam is also an active member and Nippers Coach for the Royal Life Saving Society and a Team Leader and founder of #save1000lives with The Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The purpose of which is to encourage more people to be active donors of blood, plasma, and platelets. He has been doing this now for over 20 years. Adam explains that very few donors stick at it, but it’s such an easy thing to do. 

He fits all this around being a father of two and a Director at Export Finance Australia. Adam’s list of volunteering work is admirable. It comes as no surprise that Adam won a Service Commendation Award for his contribution to the Royal Life Saving Society. But he doesn’t do it for recognition. Adam engages in crucial community work to give back to his community and to be a role model for his children.  

Acknowledging that he is his children’s biggest role model, Adam wants to demonstrate responsibility and the need for us to give more than we take. It is important to Adam that his children understand the need to leave our communities and planet in a better position than what we found them. Adam has a 12-year-old and 15-year-old. Both are active in Nippers with the Royal Lifesaving Society and both will join the rural fire brigade when they turn 18. It’s safe to say, Adam’s approach is paying off.  

Adam lives in a semi-rural area where the support of the local volunteers is paramount. Organisations such as the rural fire brigades and the royal lifesaving groups are the backbones of community. “People will often take these services for granted until they need them the most”.  

He explained that he is always learning something new, and things are always changing. For example, the forecast for July this year is very wet and fuel matter is going to be bad for fires. His rural fire fighting crew are busier now than ever preparing well ahead for fire season. Meeting new people is another reason that Adam enjoys engaging in volunteer work in his community.  

Adam undertaking work for his rural fire fighting brigade.

You’re thinking: how does Adam find the time? It’s about being disciplined and selective with how Adam spends his time. We all have the same amount of time, how we use it is the question. Adam acknowledges the precious nature of life. “We aren’t here for a long time, so we need to make it impactful”.  

Adam admits that there have been several situations along his volunteering journey that have shaped his character and helped his personal growth. “Attending the scene of a fatal accident as a first responder makes you quickly appreciate the things that are important in life: Family, friends and then work – in that order”, says Adam. “It puts things into perspective very quickly, that’s for sure”. Experiences like this one have added to Adam’s growth, strong mindset, and ability to deal with challenging situations. It also highlighted the need for Adam to surround himself with the support he needed to get through witnessing an incident like that.  

Volunteer work has also enriched Adam’s professional life. It has equipped him with resilience and anchored his ability to manage his priorities and time. Working in Sales, Adam has nowhere to hide, so these skills are crucial.  

Luckily for Adam, his workplace is also incredibly supportive of his volunteering work. Adam suggests that in a competitive market, with a skills shortage, volunteer work is a great way to differentiate yourself. It shows that you are a team player – an important factor for any employer.  

Lastly, Adam shares an important message with us about blood donation. Did you know that one in three people will need to be a recipient of a blood donation? Because the demand is so high, Adam tries to donate plasma once a month. Most people can do it every two weeks. It’s easy and well worth it and the chances are, you already know somehow who has needed this lifegiving service. To find out more, follow #save1000lives and visit: Lifeblood | Be a life-saver today | Donate blood and more 

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