“Volunteers are an essential part of daily life, and we just can’t imagine what life would be like without them.”
That’s from Sandi Davis, the executive director of Volunteer Lethbridge.
The local non-profit helps connect volunteers with other organizations and non-profits seeking help.
She says next year marks the association’s 45th anniversary and looking ahead to the new year, Davis says she would like to see a revamp and return of the ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ event celebrating younger volunteers.
She adds for the special anniversary; the group really wants to focus on “supporting our youth and highlighting the impact in volunteerism that they do in the community” and might incorporate some new workshops for potential community helpers.
GIVING TUESDAY
Tuesday, December 2 marks ‘Giving Tuesday’, a global initiative that celebrates giving back, kindness and generosity.
READ MORE: Giving Tuesday a chance to help and give back
Davis notes for Volunteer Lethbridge; the day serves as the kick-off to their year-end campaign. She says the non-profit has teamed up with Crowdfunding Alberta.
“Once we reach $2,000 in donations and anything above that, they will be matched through Crowdfunding Alberta, so we’re quite excited to be able to collaborate with them and be able to double the impact dollars,” Davis remarks.
“Those donations are going to directly uplift volunteers, support the local non-profits and amplify the positive impacts that we’re able to make in our community.”
SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS
Davis says random acts of kindness, like shoveling a neighbour’s driveway, might seem small, but can make a big impact on someone’s life.
“All of those random acts of kindness, as I like to call them, [they] really [do] make an impact overall for everybody’s quality of life and making a better community for everyone to live in,” she states.
Davis adds that volunteering can also be beneficial to the volunteers themselves and can help create new connections.
“People really giving their time, their talents and their energy – it creates such a meaningful experience for not just the volunteers who are able to share those talents and their time, but to be able to connect with other people – we’re finding there’s quite a rise in post-secondary students and new Canadians that are rapidly growing in our volunteer groups,” she explains.
INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS
Davis adds that Friday, December 5 marks International Volunteer Day.
“It’s a global celebration of volunteers and this year’s theme is ‘every contribution matters’, and it truly does,” she says.
Davis notes that throughout December, Volunteer Lethbridge will be set up at Park Place Shopping Centre to wrap holiday gifts. On Friday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., she says they will have a sweet treat for anyone who stops by, to celebrate International Volunteer Day.
“We will have free cookies while supplies last, as a small way to thank volunteers and our community – the people who give so much of themselves – [and] give them a little sweet treat before all the Christmas goodies start flowing through.”
More information about helping in the community is on the Volunteer Lethbridge website.
