TOOWOOMBA Hospice volunteer David Turnell joked he happily does whatever he's told.
Mr Turnell is one of the city's 25,000 dedicated and giving volunteers, sacrificing his time and skills for those who need a hand.
Having working in corrective services for 34 years, the retiree said he had never done anything as rewarding as volunteering.
"My wife and I were public servants in far north Queensland. We moved to Toowoomba about a year-and-a-half ago after retirement," he said.
"I wanted to be involved in something and found the hospice. I was bored and needed something worthwhile to do.
"When you stop working, you can start to feel like a nobody."
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Mr Turnell is one of more than 100 volunteers at the hospice and works three days a week cooking, cleaning and helping out in the day-to-day functions of the organisation.
"Volunteering makes you realise the small things make a huge difference.
"Once I asked one of the ladies if she needed anything and all she wanted was scrambled eggs for breakfast.
"I had to call my wife to ask how to make scrambled eggs.
"She told her family about it."
David Turnell says volunteering at the Toowoomba Hospice has given his life meaning. Bev Lacey
Mr Turnell said volunteering made him feel he was contributing something meaningful.
"You feel like you're part of something."
He was amazed at the level of support offered to the hospice by the Toowoomba community.
"Financially and physically, people make such a huge contribution to the hospice.
"The people here are amazing, there's no differentiation and everyone is appreciated for the contribution they make."
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