Municipal Hall

April 27, 2008 / 8:00 AM

National Volunteer Week
April 27 - May 3, 2008
From Compassion to Action

Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows: National Volunteer Week, April 27 to May 3, is set aside in the fourth week of April to honour our volunteers and to recognize their projects, organizations, special event involvement and participation in non-profit causes. This year the theme is "From Compassion to Action."

It isn't always easy to recognize who volunteers. You have tickets to a theatre production at the Arts Centre and a professionally dressed usher assists you in finding your seat. You visit a relative in the hospital and a friendly greeter provides you with the room number and excellent directions. Your son's hockey coach teaches your son about hockey and about life, and becomes a valuable role model.

We may forget briefly that these kind-hearted and hard-working folks are donating their time and energy to a cause or event, but in fact are very much a part at every festival and sporting event, every non-profit fundraiser, every council meeting and every good cause and project. They represent an invaluable resource in our two communities.

In fact, an estimated 33% of our citizens are, according to surveys, regularly helping out in kindergarten classrooms, delivering healthy meals to the elderly, participating in fundraising walks for medical research, advising our councils on important issues and much more.

In turn, volunteers report a heightened sense of satisfaction and purpose. Further, they benefit from meeting new friends, feeling connected and knowledgeable about their home community and gaining new skills and interests.

Part of the annual tradition in Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge is free Leisure Time for community volunteers in the two recreation centres: April 29 in the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre and April 30 in the Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre. Parks and Leisure Services offers a free drop-in session to any community volunteer who wishes to have some healthy leisure time while working out in the weight room, participating in a fitness class or spending time in the Youth Centre. Volunteers will let the front desk know of the organization they volunteer for, and then enjoy this gift of appreciation and leisure time from the community.

A number of other activities are planned for Volunteer Week. Watch for ads in the local newspapers and public displays in the ACT, city halls and libraries. Or better yet, take a moment to thank a volunteer for dedicating themselves to a worthy cause and for converting their compassion into action to make the community safer, healthier and more fun to live and play in.