National Volunteer Week 2024 - Most Valuable Volunteer Nominee - Ron Trundle

Continuing with our profiles on valuable volunteers that were nominated as part of this year’s National Volunteer Week, we have Ron Trundle. He is the Chairman of Todays Country 94.1FM and has been a presenter with them for 13 years, though this is only the tip of the iceberg as his name is synonymous with country music in the Central Coast region. Ron has hosted countless country music festivals and fundraisers outside of volunteering at the station and has won an equal amount of country music awards. However, although he “lives and breathes country music,” he wasn't always involved in the country music scene.  

Prior to joining Todays Country, Ron was a New South Wales police officer. From this role he gained a lot of communication skills, but his move to community radio has allowed him to “give back to people in a more happy and positive way.” Through volunteering at the station, he has also become a wedding DJ and MC which are the highlights of his week. “I used to meet people on the worst day of their lives, but now I get to meet people on the happiest day of their lives,” said Ron. 

Volunteering has had a big impact on Ron’s life, and he has gained a lot from his time at Todays Country. One of his proudest moments was when he organised a fundraiser after the Lismore floods for pets. They raised $4,000 over 5 weeks in a feat that Ron believed “showed how much someone can benefit from a community.”  

Being able to share his passion for country music has also had a profound impact on Ron, where he said, “You don't know who’s listening or the impact you’re having on them, so you give you 100% every time and hopefully it makes a difference to people.” “As long as I can make people laugh and feel like they count, that’s the joy about doing what I do.” 

Ron has big ambitions for Todays Country, but he’s not forgetting about the community, “I do interviews with Canadian artists and American country music artists, but I haven't lost sight of the local sports show on a Saturday morning,” said Ron. He also owes this to his team who help him ensure the station is sounding its very best.  

“To be around an amazing group of people who want the same thing as you and like the same thing as you, it's like a family.” 

With more valuable volunteers to hear from, stay tuned to learn about some of the people who make community broadcasting great!