The sheer number of hours that Tasmanian volunteers put into their communities every year is remarkable: the 2014 State of Volunteering report stated that volunteers had contributed 7.1 million hours, with the overall value “conservatively estimated” at $4.9 billion.

Volunteering Tasmania board chair Rachel Johnson said the fact that the 2017 awards were launched on International Volunteer Day “is pretty special”.

“I’m hoping this year that we can just get a lot of nominations – just the fact that people can get recognised is important,” she said.

“At the ceremony at Parliament House last year I had tears in my eyes, it was so emotional when you hear about their stories and their journeys, the hours put in – they just [volunteer] because they love it.”

Recipient of the 2016 Lyden Builders Sport and Recreation Award, Phil Giffard of the Southern Football League and Triabunna Football Club said that receiving the award was “more about the people around me”. 

Mr Giffard said he was planning on nominating other volunteers in this year’s awards.

Nominations are now open for the 2017 Tasmanian Volunteering Awards, hosted in partnership with Southern Cross Television, and close on March 3.

Award categories span community care, environment care, volunteer programs, corporate awards, science and technology, sport and recreation, emergency services, arts and tourism, and more.

For the full list of the 2016 winners and details on nominating for this year, visit the Volunteering Tasmania website.