QOTD: Tues. Oct. 28: Volunteering

[Natalka]

Everyone has a talent, a passion, resources,
or simply time to share with others.

What type of volunteering do you do,
and/or what have you done in the past?

Why do/did you do it,
and what did you learn/get from being a volunteer?





-

[Patty Smyth]

Wow I could write a book about the good, bad and ugly of volunteering lol.

Have been doing it for 12 years at various schools. I love it, wouldn't change much, just love the kids. No other reason for doing it.

[bargain_hunter_lola]

I volunteer at my kids schools a lot. I like being involved with their learning, seeing what kind of environment they are in, how they interact with others, and having a good rapport with the teachers.

When I was younger I was a candy striper (hospital volunteer) for a few Summers. I enjoyed that a lot but it also taught me that I wouldn't want to be a nurse or doctor.

I love the library and always thought it would be great to volunteer there but I just haven't had the time. I do donate books though - especially Children's books they don't have.

[xlxo]

Wow... I am a volunteer junkie. I have found volunteering a great way to meet new friends and see more about the community around me.

With a full time job, I prefer short-term event volunteering. When some event happens on the West Coast, I will likely be there. Short-term volunteering also means if you don't like it, it's only a few days and you can focus on the next project.

I also found volunteering means different things to different provinces. Things might have changed over the years.

• BC encourages students to volunteer and makes it a part of graduation. It helps them gain experience when looking for jobs. Many BC events would not happen without the commitment from volunteers.
• When I volunteered at the Edmonton Grand Prix in 2005, I was shocked the average age of their volunteers was over 50... possibly higher. In Vancouver event volunteers averaged mid-20's.
• Not sure about Ontario. I heard when the Indy was there in the 90's.... labour unions wanted them paid min wage. Can someone confirm?

The next big thing for volunteers?
http://www.102greycupfestival.ca/volunteerzone

Miss the Olympics?
http://www.canadagames2015.ca/volunt...n-instructions

Do you like soccer?
http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/o...s/welcome.html

[Lynn49]

Yikes, it seems that's all I've been doing throughout my more active years....with Heart & Stroke, kids' schools, local charities...now I'm on the exec of our doggie park and I'm knitting toques to give to our local soup kitchen that hands them out to whoever needs them. After Christmas I'll use up the ton of yarn I have here to knit squares for the cancer centre here to be made into blankets for those in their care.

[beckie.c]

I've done the odd thing, but really I could step it up in this area.

I was a camp counselor one summer and that was an absolute blast! In University I did some tutoring of high school students in Math at the local library and did volunteer tours of campus for high school students thinking about applying to our university.

I volunteered for the brier once when it was in Regina... that was a very self-serving experience as it got you behind the scenes access to the events.

I'd love to become a foster family for dogs looking for their forever homes. At this time, we just aren't set up in a way that would be beneficial as we work full time and wouldn't be home for most of the day. I'd also love to get my dogs into therapy training so that I could take them to hospitals/nursing homes.

[Lynn49]

I've done the odd thing, but really I could step it up in this area.

I was a camp counselor one summer and that was an absolute blast! In University I did some tutoring of high school students in Math at the local library and did volunteer tours of campus for high school students thinking about applying to our university.

I volunteered for the brier once when it was in Regina... that was a very self-serving experience as it got you behind the scenes access to the events.

I'd love to become a foster family for dogs looking for their forever homes. At this time, we just aren't set up in a way that would be beneficial as we work full time and wouldn't be home for most of the day. I'd also love to get my dogs into therapy training so that I could take them to hospitals/nursing homes.

Oh. I forgot. I volunteered to spend a lot of time in the Brier Patch when the Brier was here...

[Darth Penguin]

Tryannical Evil OverLadies do not volunteer..ever!

[walkonby]

We were both involved and invested at our children's school when the kids were younger and lost plenty of sleep participating at our church and volunteering for various functions/causes. I also managed to do a few things work related which involved a children's charity too. My one and only Political experience volunteering is my biggest regret. I have nothing penciled in for the immediate future, laying low for a while.

[Natalka]

This was big in our family, and we were always involved in things - so just some of the examples.
Growing up, lots of time was spent on volunteering for church activities - serving at teas and banquets for the ladies' organization to help raise funds, for example.

When I was a teen, sewed clothes for children which were sent to missions our school and the Sisters were sponsoring. Didn't have much time as school, extra-curricular stuff, and working part-time ate up most of the time!

I really did the most in my early 20s when I had time and energy! - English as a Second Language tutoring, counsellor for a sexual assault centre; bigger variety of church activities - heading major fundraising for seniors' residential complex, doing church bulletins, doing media presentations, etc.

Once our child was in school, he went to a bilingual school and it needed a lot of parental support, so aside from fundraising, I spent a lot of time helping out in the classroom, also with cultural events, and I taught a computer class.

Volunteering for various church projects has continued; I really can't do as much as I used to.

[Crochetlady]

I crocheted baby afghans for Project Linus and a women's shelter

[Andit]

I've volunteered for many of the larger charities (one of the reasons I'll never donate to any of them), also sang in the church choir when I was young, tutored, helped out in a political campaign, manned the info kiosk at a charity event, helped out at a theatre (still do, although this year has had my fun job put on hiatus). At one point, I fostered pups. Before Lily dog came into my life, I spent 7 weeks with a lovely doggy whose owner was in hospital (broke my heart to have to give him back). After that, I was the overnight stop for dogs on their way to their new homes. One dog stayed with us for nearly a week (at that point I had Lily dog) and it's one of my biggest regrets that I let that dog go (new owner looked perfect on paper but turned out to be not so nice) - I would have kept him in a heartbeat, but 50lb Lily, 110lb J and me (we won't mention my weight, ahem) was just too much for a tiny studio. Besides, if I had kept J, I would likely never have met Quincy cat.

[TrueNorthTreasures]

For a number of years, I volunteered with hospice/palliative care. I would do that again in the future, under different circumstances and in a different setting.

Now, I am not doing any formal volunteer work, though I really enjoy spreading the word about charities and organizations that I admire and support. I also write letters for "The World Needs More Love Letters" packages. I love writing letters and I think they probably have more impact on the recipients than people might think. I also like that it is anonymous, can be as creative as I want (artwork, stationery, etc), doesn't require fundraising efforts, attendance at meetings, or membership fees.

If I resume formal volunteer work, I think it will most likely be related to animal welfare or literacy.