For someone who runs a cafe named the Town Clock Coffee Shop, one thing Rotarian and inveterate volunteer Sharon Meere doesn't have a lot of is time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's this balancing act that has seen Mrs Meere's name added to the 2014 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll, a list acknowledging the valuable contributions of women in NSW rural communities.
After moving to Boorowa seven years ago with her husband Steve, the couple, who are originally from Sydney, wanted to give back to a community that welcomed them with open arms.
"We made a conscious decision when we moved here to be involved in the community," Mrs Meeres said.
"We had 21 years in Canberra, raised three sports-mad children and this will be our last move, we just love it here. My in-laws lived in Wellington so travelling from Canberra we always stopped here and always liked it, there was just something about this town that appealed."
Moving to the country did not slow the pair down though.
Mrs Meere is a volunteer board member for Boorowa Rotary Club, Boorowa Business Association, Boorowa Australia Day Committee and Burrowa House.
She is actively involved in other volunteer roles in the community, such as making brunch for the Army Cadets on Anzac Day, official
duties on Australia Day (after briefly closing her business then running back to reopen it in time for travellers to have lunch), taking on roles with the local St Patrick's Day Committee, selling raffle tickets for Rotary and attending changeover dinners across the region.
She not only joins volunteer groups, she often takes on the hardest role to fill in any volunteer organisation, that of secretary.
"We came out here and we're the busiest we've ever been," Mrs Meere laughed.
"It wasn't the quiet change we were hoping for but this is such a lovely community, it's a very caring, sharing community and you want to do something for it."
Despite all of her contributions to the community, Mrs Meere said she was surprised and humbled at her inclusion on the honour roll.
"I don't think I do anything that anybody else doesn't do. Everything I do, hopefully Boorowa is the beneficiary," Mrs Meere said.
"Communities like this need everybody pulling together. We're only small so anything we can do that helps bring people in and get people to stay and put money into the economy here helps, otherwise we're going to die off. I've been through so many towns that are dying and Boorowa is not like that, Boorowa has this wonderful vibe that people stop and enjoy. It's an honour to live here."
Also included on the honour roll for this year is Anglican Boorowa / Yass parish lay preacher Bimbi Turner.
State agriculture minister and member for Burrinjuck Katrina Hodgkinson congratulated the women on their achievement.
"This honour roll provides a long lasting legacy to tireless women volunteers, who are the backbone of many rural and regional communities," Ms Hodgkinson said.
"Women are doing a great job across regional centres and small villages, playing an important voluntary role by providing support to community organisations, local businesses and of course families.
"With more than 500 women now enshrined on the honour roll, this is our way of saying thank you and honouring what you do."