In earlier times the couple donated $65 million to Perth universities.

We are fortunate to have donor organisations such as The Border Trust and the Rotary Club of Albury Foundation, but the border has its own connection to mega-philanthropy (if I can coin that term), through the life and work of the late Paul Ramsay, who, by his will, left $3.3 billion to establish a charitable foundation.

Paul used to be my boss.

On May 13, 2014 I delivered a tribute in NSW Parliament to the man and his work. Though best known for his many private hospitals, his second business success was in media. For 29 years he chaired the Prime Media network of regional television stations: Albury, Wagga Wagga, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Victoria and WA.

As manager of Prime Albury I would go to monthly network meetings in Woolloomooloo. I remember he was a great encourager of talent, providing opportunities for motivated staff to travel to improve themselves and their skills.

These legacies have the capacity to transform whatever industry or research they touch.

We all look to governments to pay for the big things we need. But the reality is that governments get their money from taxpayers. They are not spending their own cash (in most cases) and that brings with it a regime of responsibility and accountability which can be daunting and copiously Red Taped.

Available government funds must be divided among many electorates, each of which has an equity claim, and different levels of infrastructure and need.

Charitable foundations are not bound up in this way. They are important to our nation’s life because they can set so many of their own rules, to fund who, how and how much to give.

But we can’t all give away money. One of the reasons I love being part of the border community is that the people here are incredibly generous with their time.

In my work I meet volunteers everywhere I go. Last week the border enjoyed the work of its volunteers in a remarkable smorgasbord of talent and effort.

Did you get to see Wicked at the Albury Entertainment Centre? A sold-out season, the show hit a new high in excellence.

Wicked ran on its volunteers.

Over the same weekend, the Wicked audience rubbed shoulders in QEII Square with the sensational Festival of Bands, showcasing brass and wind bands which travelled to help Albury City Band celebrate its 150th anniversary.

And if you stood out by the side of the Riverina Highway you would have seen an amazing procession of classic muscle cars heading out towards the Weir in convoy – or vintage cars gathering on the Gateway.

A cavalcade of sound, colour and energy to enliven our streetscene. Again, so much is the work of volunteers.

Sometimes we can hurt our volunteers, usually by accident or omission.

National Volunteer Week was held May 8 to 14 this year, and, unfortunately, coincided with a number of instances where volunteers got caught in the wheels of changes planned by different bodies.

Those who give their time to help out are just as important as those who donate millions.