Volunteer Canada’s theme for National Volunteer Week (April 14 to 20) is “Every Moment Matters.” Citizens are encouraged to “recognize and celebrate the contribution of each and every volunteer.” The documentary on Blue Zones, where certain habits and lifestyles are believed to result in a higher proportion of longevity than elsewhere, cites volunteering as one such habit. It “benefits our health, just as it benefits those we serve. Meeting like-minded people and creating new social networks improves our lives.”
My circle of friends emanated from volunteers with non-profits like the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary, Halfmoon Bay Community Association, Rotary Club of the Sunshine Coast, Newcomers Club, Sechelt Artisans and Farmers Market, One Straw Society, Sunshine Coast Hospice and many others.
On a recent visit to Washington, my friend and I played golf with a gentleman from the area. He asked us what we do when we aren’t golfing. “Oh,” I laughed, mischievously glancing at Elaine, “we volunteer for everything!” There’s just something about it – the excitement to learn something new, to make friends, to see the positive impact you’re having…its addictive!
Last Saturday, the Rotary Club of the Sunshine Coast held its third annual Volunteer Fair. The vibe was enthusiastic and contagious, as the volunteers eagerly imparted information about their non-profits. I lingered to find out more, to share my experiences, and to have a few laughs. I urge you to find a volunteer role that speaks to you, perhaps with one (or more!) of the 2023 participating non-profits listed on the Rotary’s website at rotarysunshinecoast.org/sunshine-coast-volunteer-fair-2023/.
I visited Elise and Rand Rudland, from the Halfmoon Bay Environmental Society and Sargeant Bay Society respectively, at their booths. Their history of volunteerism would take a week’s worth of articles to document! Elise and the HBES invite you to join the “Ivy League” at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, at Coopers Green Park. Bring your pruning tools and work gloves and help cut back the ivy, an invasive species that wreaks havoc on our native plants. Rand and the SBS are hosting a botany walk on May 5 and birding on the berm on May 26 (visit www.sargbay.ca for details). As well, stay tuned for exciting news about the replacement of the salmon ladder at Sargeant Bay Provincial Park!
Unrelated to volunteering, but equally newsworthy, is The Pain Project book launch at Persephone’s 6 to 8 p.m. on April 20 (upstartandcrow.com/event/the-pain-project-book-launch-at-persephone-brewing/). Collaboratively written by Kara Stanley and Simon Paradis, the book documents our fellow Halfmoon Bay residents’ journey to navigate Simon’s chronic pain after his devasting accident a decade ago. As a singer and songwriter, Simon graces many a Sunshine Coast music stage but his personal battle with pain has been less public. This book is a “must-read for anyone looking for a greater understanding of pain as a phenomenon and in their own lives” (available at Talewind Books and Indigo).
