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LYNN Walker won’t just go to great lengths to help others – she’ll travel thousands of miles.
The 69-year-old from Kyneton spent weeks in 2017 volunteering in needy villages in Uganda.
She made the trip with a team of like-minded volunteers, including her brother Ron Muir. She plans to return later this year for a second stint.
It’s the type of selfless gesture many in her hometown have become accustomed to from Lynn, who was one 18 central Victorian chosen to carry the Queen’s baton through Bendigo on Wednesday morning.
There was plenty of support for her, including from the more than 20 family members, including children, grand-children and her brother Ron, who gathered in Baxter Street for the start of her leg.
And then there were the extras from her CWA group and line-dancing.
Son Steve Walker said his mum was a tireless charity worker, whose dedication and hard work spread across many organisations.
Her volunteerism includes working on the Kyneton Show committee, the town’s visitor information centre and R.M. Begg Aged Care.
“Mum’s a real community person. She is someone who every town would be glad to have one of,” Mr Walker said.
Lynn was one of two people chosen to carry the baton from Kyneton.
The other was Joel Bertoncini, who last year ran from Sydney to Melbourne to raise funds for the Cancer Council in support of a mate who died from pancreatic cancer.
Lynn’s daughter Nicole Laity revealed her mother had spent the weeks since learning of her relay nomination in October training by walking laps of the Botanical Gardens, holding a bottle of water in the air.
Volunteering runs in the family.
Lynn’s brother Ron works extensively with the elderly and at his local Baptist Church. He is also involved at Social Foundry Kyneton, an organisation helping at-risk youth to get back into the workforce.
He succinctly describes his sister as an achiever.
“Whatever she does she does well …. and she has her finger in pies everywhere,” Mr Muir said.
“She’s always helping people and everywhere.
“If it wasn’t for people like her, I don’t what the world would be like.”
Despite the well-wishes and fanfare that flowed her way on Wednesday, Lynn couldn’t help but wonder out loud about the fuss as she started her relay leg in Baxter Street, en-route to the changeover to Gary Warnest.
“I am nothing special, but I have got a special family,” Lynn said.