Volunteer

“You have to be a good listener and be prepared to spend some time getting to know the clients to find out exactly what it is they want. You can make a suggestion here or there but our job is to find a solution that makes them happy and does what it is meant to do,” says Davy

When Davy Lee retired after a fulfilling working life, it was almost inevitable that his path would lead him to volunteering with an organisation like Solve-TAD.

Even before volunteering at Solve-TAD, Davy was no stranger to community service as an active member of the Castle Hill Lions Club. Indeed it was through Castle Hill Lions that Davy learned about the work of Solve-TAD. He hoped to put to good use the skills he had acquired as an electronics engineer with Philips/PANalytical.

Davy is a real people person with a delightful sense of humour. His years of customer service, dealing with people from all walks of life have put him in good stead for volunteer work with Solve-TAD.

It doesn’t matter to Davy what type of job Solve-TAD sends his way. He is more than willing to give anything a go, thriving on the challenge of problem-solving just as much as seeing the finished product in action.

Jim likes the ‘special projects’, the one-off jobs that push him a bit, get his brain ticking over and call upon his years of experience, first as an engineer and then as a manager.

Jobs like a fishing rod holder for a man who uses a wheelchair and has weakness in his hands, enabling him to re-engage in his passion for ocean fishing.

Sometimes people have a clear idea of what the custom piece of equipment might look like to help achieve their goals. Sometimes not.

It’s all part of the job for Jim, who takes great pride in listening carefully to the person he is helping.

“The people skills are just as important as the technical skills,” Jim says.

He is more than happy to fit in to their ideas and prefers it if people “are a little bit pedantic” to make sure that solutions are as close to perfect as they can be.

“I get a great deal of pleasure from the little bit I do for them,” says Jim.

Scottish born Fred is a member of the Peninsula Group of Solve-TAD, based in Allambie Heights.

A consulting mechanical engineer with his own company, Fred thrives on the stimulus that design in his field offers.

Fred developed Solve-TAD Freedom Wheels concepts with other volunteer team members and converted them into detailed designs. He used 3D modelling to enable computer aided manufacture of the many components that make up the Freedom Wheels system.

He loves a challenge and relishes how the various Solve-TAD projects have consistently demanded creativity. Often he has to start from scratch, “Practically every job is a prototype at Solve-TAD.”

His many conversations with clients have taught Fred that it’s not enough that the completed job just be functional. Aesthetics are important too and Fred is of the opinion that anything he makes has to be as elegant as possible.

“I take a long look at form as well as function,”  Fred says.