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Volunteers our unsung heroes |
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Written by Lethbridge Herald
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Tuesday, April 20 2010, 9:05 PM |
This week has been designated to pay tribute to the unsung heroes in our communities.
There are more than 12 million of these heroes and our communities would be the worse without them.
They’re the volunteers who keep so many of our organizations and services running on the strength of the more than two billion hours of their time they give annually.
National Volunteer Week, which runs until Saturday, is set aside to recognize the efforts of these selfless individuals, who come in all ages and from all walks of life. The common denominator is a desire to give something back. And that they do, in spades.
Our country benefits in countless ways from the work of volunteers. They contribute their energy and skills to community service groups, shelters, hospitals, sports programs, arts and cultural endeavours, environmental causes, political organizations and disaster relief efforts.
It’s no exaggeration to say that a great many important — event vital — community services either wouldn’t exist or wouldn’t be as extensive without volunteers. Many organizations and programs simply don’t have the dollars to do what they do if it wasn’t for the gifts of time they receive from people who are moved to lend a hand.
There’s no one-fits-all profile of a volunteer. Some are retired citizens who want to stay active. Others are busy with jobs or careers but make time in their hectic schedules out of a desire to contribute to the community. Some are students who are looking to add some experience to their resume to enhance future job prospects. Still others are children from families where volunteering is a part of the lifestyle, or perhaps they simply want to do something good for others.
Statistics from Volunteer Alberta, released last summer, showed the percentage of Albertans who volunteer increased four percentage points between 2004 and 2007, to 52 per cent, which exceeded the national figure of 48 per cent. Albertans aged 35 to 44 years old are most likely to volunteer, while citizens aged 65 years and older volunteer the most number of hours.
But don’t forget the young people. In today’s Herald, about 150 young volunteers have been recognized through the Volunteer Lethbridge Leaders of Tomorrow program. These youths are an indication of a bright future for volunteerism in the community — and a testament to the community spirit of the young generation.
Studies have shown that volunteers benefit from their charitable work. It not only improves their well-being but expands their own social support network. But society is the big winner when citizens volunteer.
The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement, as quoted on the Canadian Cancer Society website, says: “Volunteer involvement is vital to a just and democratic society. It fosters civic responsibility, participation and interaction. Volunteer involvement strengthens communities. It promotes change and development by identifying and responding to community needs.”
That certainly describes what our local volunteers are doing: responding to community needs.
And the community needs them.
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