2013 is a year for anniversaries. Sea Fair is celebrating its 50th birthday, Westview Flying Club is recognizing 60 years as an official group, and Powell River Scouts are looking back on a century of activity in the area.
These groups are each celebrating a monumental occasion. But in celebrating, one must remember that it is not an idea that makes an event or organization, but the people behind it.
Volunteers for these groups and others in the community number in the thousands. Some have been involved for many years. Some are relative newcomers. Some give hours of their time. Some give days or weeks. All are essential to making these groups run smoothly.
Without volunteers, community-building events and organizations would not be possible. There would be no festivals, no garden or art tours. Large events wouldn’t be viable. Organizations wouldn’t run.
Volunteers feed the hungry, help those in need, and give aid to those who require it. They tutor and teach both young and old. They are the blood that keeps every community group alive and thriving, and the glue that keeps the community stable and running well.
Besides donating time toward a good cause, volunteering also works to bring the community together. Wally Burge, a 50-year veteran of the flying club, knows this well. “It’s amazing what people can do collectively,” he said. “Working toward the same thing gives you a common goal. You feel like you’re part of something that’s important.”
Just as the duties of volunteers toward the organizations and events they run have changed over time, so have the volunteers themselves. No longer are they the stereotype of retirees with time on their hands. They are young and old, male and female. Anyone who wants to get involved and help others can find a way.
Volunteers have a variety of motivations. They may want to use or develop a skill. They may want to cultivate new relationships. They may want to do their part in helping others’ well-being. They may just be looking for that heart-warming feeling that comes with lending a hand. Regardless, their contribution to the community is immeasurable.
What Powell River residents must take from the success of its volunteer-run organizations and events is to keep going. Residents need to keep giving time to people and groups in need. If they don’t volunteer, they need to consider what they can give to the community.
So, as we celebrate with groups and events reaching milestones, we can all show our appreciation for the volunteers behind the community events and groups in which they take part.
