MANY in the crowd had called time on their working careers years, even decades, ago.
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The work, however, never ended.
And they're so much richer for it.
The council paid homage to the region's volunteers who collectively put in 250,000 hours worth of unpaid work with 44 community organisations.
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A substantial number of the volunteers in the community are retirees.
John McBride retired more than 30 years ago but has spent a lot of his time since volunteering with the local Riding for the Disabled group.
Mr McBride's grandson was diagnosed with autism which, in a way, connected to the group.
The almost indescribable effect the animals have on the riders is a very rich reward for the long-time volunteer.
"One youngster, they were taking him for a ride in the sulkie and they had a second set of reins on the horse which they gave him," he said.
"I took him for ride and he came back and he was all smiles and his mother said he never stopped talking about that for a week.
"That's the reward."
The Tamworth High School Breakfast Club was also recognised for the 1050 hours it collated giving students the best start to the day.
Ken Hall first introduced the program to the school when he was the deputy principal in 2000.
He has since retired from work, but he hasn't given up his post at the breakfast club.
"It's not only feeding their bellies, it is feeding their minds as well," Mr Hall said.
"I suppose, they sit down at a table and they have a meal and they talk to other kids.
"It's a good all-round development for them."
Mr Hall said seeing the kids grow was the reward for his post-retirement work at Tamworth high.
"You start with a year 7 boy who is three-foot-nothing tall and you see them grow through to year 12, then they leave and get a job," he said.
"You know you have contributed because you helped along the way on their education.
"And it all starts with breakfast."
The annual "gift of time" ceremony acknowledged the region's volunteers who have collectively donated more than 250,000 hours to community causes.
There was special recognition for the Kootingal-Moonbi Rural Fire Service which has been under the pump in recent weeks containing blazes near Tamworth.
The RFS brigade racked up 4224 hours prior to the Moonbi fire breakout which has called an additional 700 hours of volunteer work.
The council acknowledged 44 groups at the event in the old Lands Office which has been recently converted into a volunteering hub for the city.
Huge organisations like the Salvos (37,500 hours), the Scouts (22,540 hours) and the Westpac chopper (20,000 hours) were recognised.
The work of smaller groups like the Compassionate Friends who spent 46 hours supporting grieving parents who'd lost children at any age, to any cause, was also honoured among a number of vital local services.