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From the guest editorFeatured in I Love Creston Magazine - Apr, 2012 Brian Bell Here are some figures about volunteering from Volunteer Canada, which promotes April 15-21 as National Volunteer Week:
• 12.5 million Canadians volunteer their time to the country’s 161,000 non-profit organizations.
• Canadians volunteer 2.1 billion hours annually, equivalent to 1.1 million full-time jobs.
• Less than eight per cent of the population accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the total volunteer hours.
• 54 per cent of non-profits have no paid staff.
• 73 per cent of businesses either support or accommodate employee volunteering.
• The top three reasons why Canadians volunteer are: 1) To make a contribution to their community; 2) The desire to make use of personal skills and experiences; 3) Having been personally affected by the cause.
• Children and youth are more likely to become engaged citizens if they see someone they admire, such as their parents, helping others.
There are plenty of examples of this in Creston, one beneficiary of which is singled out in this April issue of I Love Creston magazine: Swan Valley Lodge. The extended-care home benefits from numerous groups and individuals conducting everything from religious services and musical performances to walks and other outings.
One of them, the Creston Valley Garden Club, begins its third year of dedication to the Swan Valley grounds this month. Chairman Jean Wilson, a member since retiring here from Calgary in 2003, finds the lodge a good fit for the club.
“They’ve done great work there. It was a mess when we took it over,” she says. “It’s working out really well, and Swan Valley are really appreciative of what they do. They’re very grateful, and it’s a worthy cause for sure. Most of those people have been gardeners in their time.
“And the garden club funds what they need. They come and tell us, ‘OK, we need peat moss, new plants,’ whatever, and we try and give them money for that.”
The connection was made a couple of years ago rather by chance, although Wilson says the club had been looking “to be part of something, to be able to help somewhere.”
“One of the ladies originally said, ‘Oh, Swan Valley needs a timer for the water,’ so a few of us went to have a look at the place and we all said, ‘This is what the garden club could work with. We could help here.’
“And so the people who can go, go. I have in the past, (although) I have other commitments (now) so I don’t go there (anymore).”
It’s a cause she and the club as a whole obviously believe in, just as she is a firm proponent of volunteering in general as part of fulfilling one’s responsibility to society.
“I’ve always volunteered all my life in various capacities, sometimes more than others depending on my work situation,” says the former high school teacher. “I’ve always found something to volunteer in.”
The spirit of volunteerism is more apparent in her adopted rural home than it was in the urban area she left, likely due more to the nature of the lifestyle than to an uncaring populace.
“Absolutely,” she says. “There’s more time for things here. In the city everybody’s in a hurry. You go here and we know everybody’s name and, ‘How are you,’ that kind of thing.
It’s very different than being in a big city. It’s nice to be in a small community.”
Wilson chose Creston because she “wanted to retire somewhere where we could garden longer. It’s wonderful. We just love it.”
In addition to Swan Valley, the club has also contributed labour and garden-related supplies to benefit Millennium Park, the Community Greenhouse at the College of the Rockies, Creston Public Library, Creston Museum, Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors and the community garden. The club also sponsors an annual bursary for a graduating Prince Charles Secondary School student pursuing education in an agriculture-related field.
“I believe you have to give something back to the community,” Wilson concludes, “and since we came here people have been really good to us so I think it’s just nice to give back for what people have given us, (such as) friendship . . . well, half my garden is plants from other people,” she adds with a laugh. “It’s just wonderful.”
For more on this and other feel-good topics, dig in to the pages that follow. And don’t forget to thank a volunteer before the month is out; they’re probably not doing it for the gratitude, but a little appreciation is an apt reward nonetheless. Comments you must login to comment
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| Al Burt - Chair of the Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration Committee | 2 articles | | Jason Smilth - Footlighters Theatre Society | 1 articles | | Shelly Lamb - SAMS volunteer | 1 articles | | Al Burt | 3 articles | | Albert Stoyanowski | 1 articles | | Albert Stoyanowski - President - Creston Valley Quad Squad | 1 articles | | Alexandra Dansereau - Harvest Share Coordinator | 2 articles | | Alexandra Ewashen | 3 articles | | Alfred (Alfie) Seidl, Business Consultant and Life Coach | 1 articles | | Amy Maddess - Visitor Center Coordinator - Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce | 3 articles | | Andrea Suprowich-Dirk, M. Sc. | 1 articles | | Anita Sawyer | 1 articles | | Annette Agabob - Owner – Annette’s Health Action | 14 articles | | Ava Shaw | 1 articles | | Barb Gracey - President of the Creston Go Go Grannies | 1 articles | | Barry McPercival | 1 articles | | Bev Caldwell - Executive Assistant - Town of Creston | 1 articles | | Bill Dyck | 1 articles | | Bob Ewashen | 1 articles | | Brandy Dyer | 4 articles | | Brendan Calhoun, grade 4 student at Canyon Elementary School | 1 articles | | Brian Bell | 38 articles | | Brian Grant | 1 articles | | Bruno and Marion Schultz | 1 articles | | Calvin Murdock | 1 articles | | Cam Penner - Destination Marketing Organization | 1 articles | | Candace Woodall - Century 21 Veitch Realty Representative | 2 articles | | Carla Ahern - tewardship and Communications Manager - Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area | 17 articles | | Carla Ahern, Director of Communications, Stewardship and Education Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area | 11 articles | | Caroline Martin | 1 articles | | Celine R Calfa | 2 articles | | Cheryl Bakke | 1 articles | | Chris Brauer | 50 articles | | Cindy Payne - Creston Valley Thunder Cats | 1 articles | | Claire Bouchard - Public Health Nurse/Breastfeeding Consultant | 1 articles | | Colleen Matte - Bear Aware | 1 articles | | Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy | 1 articles | | Community Arts Council of Creston & www.bcartsweek.org | 1 articles | | Connie Cook | 8 articles | | Corry Cannon | 1 articles | | Creston Museum & Archives | 7 articles | | Creston Valley Advance | 1 articles | | Creston Valley Blossom Festival | 3 articles | | Creston Valley Chamber Of Commerce | 3 articles | | Creston Valley Thunder Cats | 5 articles | | Crystal Hudson | 7 articles | | Dale Moberg | 1 articles | | Danette Polzin | 5 articles | | Daniel Kempling | 1 articles | | Dave Brummet | 3 articles | | Dave St Germain | 1 articles | | Dean Bala, Kokanee Country Snowmobile Club President | 1 articles | | Deanna Kepke - TAPS Activity Assistant | 1 articles | | Delta Fay Cruickshank | 1 articles | | Ed McNiven | 1 articles | | Elena Yeung | 5 articles | | Elena Yeung | 4 articles | | Erika Woker | 2 articles | | Footlighters Theatre Society | 3 articles | | Frances Roback | 1 articles | | Frank Goodsir | 5 articles | | Gertie Brown - Creston Valley Garden Club | 1 articles | | Gillian Cooper, Trans-Border Grizzly Project | 1 articles | | Ginia Hayward | 1 articles | | Glen Franz | 1 articles | | Gord and Caroline Martin | 1 articles | | Heather Suttie | 2 articles | | Helen Bobbitt | 1 articles | | Holly Pender-Love | 2 articles | | Holly Wood | 1 articles | | Ian Currie - Seventh Siding Trackers | 1 articles | | ilovecreston staff | 73 articles | | Ingrid Voigt | 2 articles | | Janet Wallace | 1 articles | | Jason Smith | 1 articles | | Jeannette Evans | 1 articles | | Jen Comer - Market Manager – Creston Valley Farmers’ Market | 5 articles | | Jerry Schmalz | 1 articles | | Jesse Moreton, BSc DC | 7 articles | | Jim Jacobsen - Executive Director of the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce | 1 articles | | Joanna Wilson | 1 articles | | Joanne Endicott | 2 articles | | Joe Martin | 14 articles | | Joe Snopek | 1 articles | | John Kettle | 1 articles | | John Kettle Regional District Director for Area B | 3 articles | | Judy Edge | 2 articles | | Judy Gadicke | 1 articles | | Judy Salzmann | 1 articles | | Judy Smandych | 1 articles | | Justin Vance | 1 articles | | Karen Powis - Winter Harvest Coordinator - College of the Rockies Community Greenhouse | 3 articles | | Kate Hall | 1 articles | | Kate Webb - Creston Valley Farmers’ Market | 1 articles | | Katia Plotnikoff, Bear Aware co-ordinator | 1 articles | | Keisha Ringheim | 1 articles | | Kelli Schultz | 1 articles | | Kevin Solez | 1 articles | | Kim Cook | 27 articles | | Kim Wilson (Unsworth) | 1 articles | | Kitt Santano | 4 articles | | Kootenay Employment Services | 9 articles | | Kris Dickeson | 57 articles | | Krista Wunsch - AIDS Walk for Life Coordinator - Cranbrook | 1 articles | | Kristen Cook | 244 articles | | Larry Binks - RDCK Area C | 1 articles | | Larry Ewashen | 1 articles | | Laura Wigen | 2 articles | | Lexi Czar | 1 articles | | Lexi Czar - PCSS Grade 10 Student | 1 articles | | Loretta Fauth | 1 articles | | Lori Cameron - Owner - Tigz Designs | 1 articles | | Lori Wikdahl, Artist. 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RI, FRI Broker Manager - Century 21 Veitch Realty Creston, Past President - BC Real Estate Association | 2 articles | | Scott Veitch | 1 articles | | Shannon Veitch - Real Estate Agent - Century 21 Veitch Realty | 5 articles | | Sharon Faithson | 1 articles | | Signe Miller | 1 articles | | Stephanie Sweet - Creston Spay/Neuter Animal Program | 2 articles | | Submitted | 157 articles | | Tammy Hardwick - Manager - Creston & District Museum & Archives | 139 articles | | Tanya Ducharme | 1 articles | | TAPS Creston | 1 articles | | Terry Nowak - Outreach Worker - TAPS | 1 articles | | The Town of Creston | 3 articles | | Tom Heal | 2 articles | | Tom Lymbery | 2 articles | | Trish Bartlett | 20 articles | | Trish Hill & Patti Moore | 1 articles | | Vannessa Fowler - Owner of Nadan Nessie Gear | 2 articles | | Vern Gorham | 7 articles | | Win Dinn, Owner - Painted Turtle Gallery | 1 articles | | www.aziomediablog.com | 1 articles | | www.devangreenhouses.ca | 1 articles | | www.earthday.ca | 1 articles | | www.icbc.com | 1 articles | | www.kaboose.com | 1 articles | | www.mydearvalentine.com | 1 articles | | www.romancestuck.com | 1 articles | | www.specialolympics.bc.ca | 1 articles | | www.statefarm.com | 1 articles | | www.tsfbcaa.com | 1 articles | | www.webtrends.about.ca | 1 articles | | www.wrwcanada.com | 2 articles |
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