December 20, 2019
He could not quite believe it when the phone rang and Ben Noonan found out that he had just won $1,000 in the Coastal Dental Care Gives Back To Volunteers competition.
Ben Noonan was one of so many dedicated volunteers on the coast who got nominated on the MyGC website for the $1,000 cash prize.
Ben is a paraplegic volunteer who supports multiple clubs and organisations. He is not only the vice-president of Sailability Runaway Bay but also volunteers at the Roller Blaze Wheel Chair Basketball club.
“I love being connected to the community and giving back,” Ben said. He doesn’t expect anything in exchange for his volunteer work but was blown away by receiving the cash prize.
At Sailability Runaway Bay, Ben assists people of all abilities to develop their skills and passion for sailing. “It is really rewarding to see how much happiness it brings to someone taking them out for a sail on the Broadwater. There is nothing like it,” he said.
Ben supports Gold Coast Rollerblaze Wheelchair Basketball
Gold Coast Rollerblaze Wheelchair Basketball that Ben supports as a volunteer is based at the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre. The program was initiated in 2008 and has been ever growing since.
Rollerblaze supplies specialised basketball wheelchairs. Most of them have been donated by former and present players and several volunteer organisations as well as the Gold Coast City Council. Ben also loves the initiatives of Rollerblaze going out to schools. He loves sharing his passion for basketball with students of all ages.
“We take the wheelchairs out to schools so students can experience just how quick they can manoeuvre around the court,” Ben said. The social competitions organised by Rollerblaze are open to everyone, you don’t have to be a wheelchair-user to play the game. Find out more about their training times and social competitions on their website.
In addition to all his other commitments, Ben also volunteered for many months in preparation for the Commonwealth Games. These took place on the Gold Coast in 2018. He helped with both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Coastal Dental Care Gives Back To Volunteers
Coastal Dental Care is proud to be able to support a community-minded person as Ben. CEO Dr Franck Pages said, “At Coastal Dental Care, we value the time and effort volunteers put in. It helps to make the Gold Coast an even better place. We are very excited to be able to give back to these wonderful people and give them some additional recognition.”
Dr Franck Page handed over the Big Cheque worth $1,000 to Ben.
The next round of Coastal Dental Care Gives Back To Volunteers will take place in February 2020. Nominations will then again be open on the MyGC website.
We would like to thank MyGC and 102.9 Hot Tomato for supporting our initiative. Additionally, we want to thank all the amazing volunteers on the coast for the wonderful things they do every day!