Christmas is a time of giving, but there are those who choose to give of their time, talent and treasure all year round.
These people come in many guises, but the largest group has to be the volunteers. These days they are all around us, ringing bells to collect donations, working tirelessly for food banks, both to collect donations and to prepare hampers for the many people that need an extra helping hand this time of year.
More than just Christmas aid, volunteers work year-round helping seniors, serving meals for the homeless and sitting in countless support and aid groups that help our most vulnerable.
These volunteers form an irreplaceable social safety net that improves our community in many ways. Volunteerism is a fundamental part of what makes a community.
Without the contribution of volunteers, some work might never get done. They build homes for the homeless, help out in schools and hospitals, clean garbage from alongside our highways.
They’re out there coaching, but they’re also out there volunteering at everything from festivals to hockey games and triathlons, making sure the events come off without a hitch. During the flooding and fires the last two years, we’ve seen volunteers lending a hand to sandbag and protect other people’s properties, or take in animals to help people driven out of their homes by the fires. Christmas is the time of giving and receiving, but in amongst that, we should spare a thought for those who make giving back a part of their everyday life, and especially think what our community would look like without their selfless help.
And with New Year’s resolutions coming on fast after Christmas, maybe one of yours could be to gift a few of your own precious hours to help out. There’s always a need for more volunteers.