Dell Saunders likes "to be involved".
It is quite the understatement for the selfless 88-year-old, who is "humbled but honoured" to be receiving the city's top accolade on Saturday.
Ms Saunders, who was "born and bred in Mayfield West" and now lives in North Lambton, has been named the 18th Freeman of the City in recognition of her lifelong service to the Newcastle netball and wider sporting community.
She credits helping out during the war for setting her on the path to becoming a pivotal figure in Newcastle sport.
"I wouldn't have realised at the time, but during the [second] World War my mother was a volunteer in the Red Cross, and the Red Cross ran a canteen in the old Tech College building on Hunter Street," Ms Saunders told the Newcastle Herald.
"She'd take me along when it was school holidays or her roster was in the evening. I'd go with her and I'd either be wiping up the cutlery and crockery or clearing tables when I was eight.
"When you were brought up during the war, you were always conscious of helping in whatever area it was. That was in my make-up from when I was young and that's probably in the genes, as they say.
"But I've thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it."
Every minute has been as a volunteer and Ms Saunders, who still runs a family business, believes those who don't volunteer don't know what they are missing out on.
Her service to the netball community in Newcastle has spanned almost seven decades, including being a foundation member and long-serving president of the Newcastle Netball Association (NNA).
Ms Saunders, whose given name is Adele, has served on the Newcastle City Sports advisory committee, the Festival of Sport committee, the Mattara Festival committee, helped form the Hunter Academy of Sport's netball program and umpires section and the Hunter's former national league side.
The former playing centre has been an international umpire and is the recipient of multiple awards including the All-Australian Umpire Badge, the Order of Australia Medal and the Australian Sports Medal.
The mother of "three lovely sons" remains a permanent fixture at National Park netball courts every Saturday manning the umpires office.
"Dell is unassuming, amazing and about everybody else," NNA's Sue Johns said.
"You know if Dell is going to say something, it's worth listening to.
"She's an amazing role model. She has the ability to keep everybody working harmoniously together. She's still on the umpires committee. She's there to mentor young and old umpires.
"She's a grassroots person, and that's what I admire most about Dell. It's about the grassroots of netball because the members are the most important people to her.
"Those people out on the courts are who she believes in and who she will champion every single time. That's just her way."
