But Wagga’s Red Cross branch, which celebrated its centenary last year, may not survive the age of selfishness.

In a shock announcement, Red Cross has announced its Wagga branch is officially in recess, with hopes of it ever re-opening fading fast.

Red Cross regional manager John Pocius gave a blunt assessment of the branch’s woes – its members are tired.

And as the older membership base thinned out, there is no new blood coming through to replace it.

Just last month, one of Wagga’s most revered charities – CanAssist – revealed it would be forced to close for the very same reason.

It’s a sentiment echoed in meeting rooms and halls across the Riverina.

Our community organisations are in crisis.

The rewards of volunteering are being drowned out by the sound of a million mouse clicks on social media.

The Wagga community has a proud tradition of volunteering.

An invisible army of helpers has helped paper over the cracks left by governments and other organisations for generations.

But as society becomes more inward-looking, more materialistic and more shallow, the simple joy of helping others is becoming a lost art.

And we’re becoming a less connected community as a result.

Where would we be without our service clubs, our sporting coaches, our hospital auxiliary ladies?

Are today’s teenagers likely to be Rotarians in half a century?

Volunteerism is, quite simply, the basis of a civilised society.

Not only does it make a tangible difference in the lives of the volunteers and those they help, it shows us there is more good than the breakdowns and struggles in society might have us believe.

While about one in three of us donate our time to a cause, two in three of us don’t.

True volunteering is finding a deeper connection with your community, committing your energy to a cause for purely altruistic reasons.

And there’s never been a more important time to jump on board.

Time might be valuable, but volunteering is invaluable.