Roodepoort parkrun timekeeper Ria Wilson (76) recently celebrated a major milestone, completing 100 volunteer shifts.

Ria’s volunteering journey began while accompanying and supporting her daughter, Karin, during weekly runs, especially on milestone occasions.

“She first registered me for running, but it wasn’t my thing, so I would usually sit and wait for her in the car,” she said.

“I then became interested in volunteering and asked if people were allowed to volunteer without running. She said, ‘Of course,’ and that’s how I started,” she added.

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For the past two years, Ria has dedicated herself to showing up each week, keeping time for runners and assisting with report writing, including publishing results and photos.

“Over this time, I have met new people, and the volunteers are a nice bunch,” she said.

She emphasised that her motivation is not about reaching milestones, but about ensuring parkrun takes place every Saturday.

“I’m not doing this to meet a target. Volunteers make parkrun happen,” she said.

Beyond parkrun, Ria keeps busy during the week. Every Tuesday and Thursday, she teaches Biblical Hebrew to students – a hobby she greatly enjoys.