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Volunteer work is alive and well

It has been said that volunteerism is dead, that many would prefer to write a cheque rather than donate their time to something.

It has been said that volunteerism is dead, that many would prefer to write a cheque rather than donate their time to something.

It is something that I have seen in, and saw many times in my short time volunteering back on the coast.

For a number of years I volunteered as a hockey coach and as an instructor for referee clinics hosted by the North Delta Minor Hockey Association and saw just why so many think that volunteerism is dead.

No longer were parents interested in helping to run the clock at games, or to help sell the 50/50 tickets or to help run Christmas of spring hockey tournaments that North Delta hosted.

Gone were the days of the hockey mom, or the soccer dad, people like my parents, and my friends parents who were not just the first people to teach us how to skate, or to hit a baseball, but once they signed us up for the sport or activity of our choosing they were there at the rink just as much as we were.

It seemed like parents signed their kids up for sports or for an activity just so they could drop them off and let them be someone else’s problem for a couple hours, all to happy to cut a cheque and be done with it.

However, seeing how the community of Burns Lake operates, it is safe to say that volunteerism is certainly not dead in this community.

From the Burns Lake Mountain Bike Association’s members donating their time and effort to keep our mountain bike trails cleared, to the group that put together the summer festival at the Grassy Plains Community Hall last weekend, to the countless people that organize fundraisers for those in need and many more whose efforts don’t gain as much publicity, being a volunteer is alive and well in this community.

It is a welcomed sight to see just how many young people are giving back to the community that gave them so many opportunities.

From personal experience I can say their isn’t a feeling quite like being able to take something that you have learned over the years and being able to teach that to someone else, or being able to donate your time to the community, whose members have donated so much of theirs so you could have fun.

The appreciation that someone has for you donating your time is something special.

One of the first things I covered when I moved here was the minor hockey awards, and the number of midget aged players (15-17-year-olds) that were recognized for the hours they put in as a volunteer coach for younger kids was great.

As a generation that has been stereotyped as a ‘me-first’ generation, the sight of these young men coming out and volunteering their time to teach the young kids is  refreshing.

This week I was able to write about a young man in this community who has been recognized for his outstanding contributions, yet he is one of many in Burns Lake that has donated time and energy to ensure that our entire community gets to enjoy all that we have to offer.

It’s not just recreational sites that are attended to by volunteers either.

Our fire department boast a bevy of volunteers that sacrifice time with their friends and family to train, and sacrifice their well being to ensure our communities have the help it needs in those emergency situations.

To all the volunteers, whether or not your contributions and efforts have been recognized, keep up the hard work and dedication, remember your efforts are appreciated by many.

It’s nice to know that there are communities out there that still value volunteer work.