Ms Riddington was originally born in Swan Hill, and after moving to Melbourne at the age of 12 ended up in Dimboola and eventually Horsham.

She, like many of the Wimmera's volunteers, gives her support freely in all aspects of her life.

Ms Riddington is a grandmother to several grandchildren, and is raising one of those grandchildren, a nine-year-old with special needs.

"I am pretty happy with what I am doing, and I have achieved a lot of things along the way since I have had him," she said.

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"When you are raising a grandchild with needs you need to have an outlet, and coming to the Salvos with the staff and management, it is always a good environment to be around."

She found her start with the Horsham Salvos after a marriage breakdown and separation.

Looking for something to help her keep busy and reconcile the events that had affected her life, Ms Riddington was convinced to volunteer at the Horsham Salvos by friend Sue Hately.

"I felt I needed somewhere where I felt I could belong. I needed something to distract me while I was going through that separation to be able to understand why that separation happened," she said.

"It was a good distraction - I sort clothes and you need to be very vigilant to make sure you don't pass by any clothes that aren't quite right."

Ms Riddington took to volunteering and has never looked back.

"It was very hard for me at first. I would get up in the morning and think that I don't want to go to work, but now I look forward to it," she said.

"Over the years, sometimes I get up in the morning and get ready and can't wait to start. All the faces are friendly.

"There is always a bit of surprise in every bag you open. It is so good to be around other people too, because you acquire friendships along the way, especially if you have spent several years in the same place."

Ms Riddington described the Salvos team as a "tight-knit family" and said many volunteers relied on the store to stay connected to society and maintain relationships with other people.

Volunteer organisations are the lifeblood of many regional towns. Ms Riddington said she had seen first-hand how the unpaid work volunteers give can shape a community.

"I believe the country needs it more than the city. Country people live a different life to city people," she said.

"A lot of farmers live a secluded life and need interaction in the towns around them. The family does too. Little towns like this might not be very busy compared to the city, but it is a small community and most of the time they look after each other.

"This is what country life is usually about, you are looking after each other. Now we are going through COVID, we have to look after each other and respect each other to be safe."

She encouraged anyone with spare goods to donate to the shop.

"Please dig deep and give to us. That we can give to someone else reaching up and needing a hand," she said.

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