Festival calling for volunteers to mussel up on bus drivers

THE Portarlington Mussel Festival for the first time will offer three 25-seater buses to transport guests to and from the event next year.
Free bus co-ordinator Elizabeth Turner said this was great news for the festival, but more volunteer drivers were needed.
“If you have a minimum of a Light Rigid Driver’s Licence – put your hand up and drive!
“Volunteers will drive between the Portarlington Recreation Reserve on Sproat Street and Parks Hall on Newcombe Street – a 2km circuit.
“Shifts are two hours unless picking up or returning a bus to the AVIS depot in Geelong.”
Ms Turner said volunteers would receive a festival T-shirt, bottle of water, meal voucher and heaps of thanks from passengers.
She said three drivers – Chris Kelly, Terry Parson and Brad Stien – all enjoyed volunteering throughout the festival and had lots of stories to tell.
Ms Kelly said it was always busy, but passengers were polite and happily talked about the festival.
“Our volunteer drivers help thousands of visitors.
“Many are happy to walk but for others that’s not easy, so the free bus is a very needed service.”
Mr Parson said volunteers at the recreation reserve and Parks Hall were the best.
“They fold up prams, walkers and load everything on and off the bus.
“It means I concentrate on driving for my shift.”
Mr Stien said he’d driven for two years and would be driving again because there was a real feeling of being part of something special.
“My wife Sandy and I are in this together… Sandy drives a 12-seater bus and I drive a 25-seater bus.
“We relax after the festival and share our stories – how excited children were, tired mums and dads, and boxes of mussels loaded on board.”
The next Portarlington Mussel Festival is on January 11, 2020.
If you would like to volunteer, email Ms Turner on [email protected] or phone 5259 3057.