January 2nd, 2022Community-minded, passionate and dedicated

GIVING back to her community has been very rewarding for Janine Booth – and it’s been pretty rewarding for her home town of Creswick, too.

This Saturday morning, Janine will probably be at home and that is very unlike her. Usually, she’s down at the Visitor Information Centre, volunteering on Saturday morning. The centre was built while she was serving on Hepburn Shire Council and it’s just one of many projects that Janine has helped along in her community.

“Please don’t make me out to be a hero,” she said. “I have a lot of support, friends and family, and there’s so many volunteers too.”

Still, non-hero Janine has achieved a lot for her community.

She was born and bred in Kingston, briefly moved to Melbourne to work for Australia Post and then returned, marrying a local boy, Bill, over 40 years ago and eventually taking over the Creswick Post Office business.

“I’m very fortunate to own a business in my hometown. We’ve had it 21 years now, it’s a bit of a coming of age.”

Her community involvement started way back at the beginning, though.

“I think that, having lived here for 40 years now, and having raised our kids here, so you get involved initially with the kindergarten, the primary school, the netball club… I was the secretary and treasurer of the footy club, you get involved in what your kids are doing.

“You get into those things and then also I was with the pre-school and president of the primary school council at Creswick for five years. And I was involved in the Mt Prospect Tennis Association as well, so naturally I think you’re going to be involved in council as well, because it’s the closest government to you.”

Janine was the Creswick Ward councillor for seven years and also served a term as mayor.

“It was really interesting and I learned a lot, particularly around the diversity within our shire. I was very comfortable as the representative for my local area around here on council. But I try not to get too much involved with local politics now – I’ve got seven grandchildren who all live within a few minutes’ drive from me, and that leads to what I’m doing now.”

With the global pandemic, Janine has been at home looking after her two youngest grandchildren. There’s a bonus to that, too – they’re helping her in the garden.

“I had an open garden for the Garden Lovers’ Weekend, I have a bit of a passion for gardening as well.

“COVID-19 has been an opportunity for me to step back. I’m working part-time at the post office, my daughter pretty much runs it now, and I go in to sort the mail and do the books. It’s a good family business. And I’ve been able to put more time into the garden.”

Leading up to her semi-voluntary semi-retirement, Janine has also been involved long-term with Creswick Business and Tourism, the local business advisory group, she is a committee of management member for the Doug Lindsay Reserve, which she also has a great passion for, and not only was she an original member of the steering committee to establish the Creswick Community Bank but she has also served as a director for 13 years.

Hero? Maybe not. But a community-minded, passionate, dedicated and committed hard worker? Definitely. “I really believe that everybody puts in what they can, when they can. You get out of a community what you put into it. It’s good to be able to give back. It’s been very rewarding.”

“COVID-19 has been an opportunity for me to step back. I’m working part-time at the post office, my daughter pretty much runs it now. It’s a good family business. And I’ve been able to put more time

into the garden.”

Words: Kate Taylor | Image: Contributed

(This article is supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.)