Have you ever thought about our community and asked yourself what is the biggest asset we have in this city? Is it the Red Willow Trail system, our parks, the city’s heritage, the sports facilities, the arts community? The list goes on. Try sometime to stand back and ask yourself this question. Your final choice might surprise you.
Myself, I kept on coming back to one thing and that is the people of the community. Yes, people helping people, a common human factor that crosses all cultures and religions. To illustrate this I would like to mention a few quotes from people from different cultures. These are not just statements but can also be looked at as challenges as we travel through life.
• Going back to Ancient Greece, Homer said: “Failing our community is the greatest failure of all.”
• Buddha said: “A generous heart, kind speech and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
• The Dalai Lama: “Without the human community one single human can not survive.”
• Gandhi: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
• Mohammed: “A person’s true wealth is the good he or she does in the world.”
• Jesus in the Bible states: “Love thy neighbour.”
Well, how do we in this community stack up to those kinds of challenges? It never ceases to amaze me how this community continually steps up to the plate and helps each other in one form or another through volunteer efforts.
To me, volunteerism in St. Albert is the most important element of its cultural fabric. When I look back over the last 15 months, starting with our 150th anniversary celebrations and continuing through to today – the last day of the 2012 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games – I am truly awed at the achievements of the community through volunteerism.
There were two other major events: the 2011 Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games and the Continental Cup of Curling. These four events happened thanks to a total of well over 2,500 volunteers. WOW!
Then there are all the ongoing festivals – the International Children’s Festival, the Rotary Music Festival and Rock’n August – which used another 1,500 volunteers.
We also have the volunteers who give countless hours involving themselves in sports, the arts, service club activities and other organizations. Many volunteer hours are supplied by our faith-based community, helping with the social needs of our citizens, a wonderful humanitarian effort here in St. Albert. I truly and honestly believe, as a community, we have one of the biggest social consciences of any city in Alberta. Even so, we still have a way to go.
I don’t want to bore you with more statistics but some need to be mentioned. The Community Village and Food Bank recorded in 2011 more than 11,000 hours of volunteer time. The Community Information and Volunteer Centre found nearly 2,500 referrals to help various organizations over the last 15 months. Fourteen percent of the recorded hours are donated by the 13 to 17 age group. Isn’t that great?
Having said all this, there is always room for a willing volunteer. Come on, join in and give yourself the opportunity to meet and interact with new people as well as getting personal satisfaction from the experience.
This brings to mind very interesting quote: “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they are priceless.”
Have we as a community taken up the challenge of people helping people? You bet your life we have.
Anyway that’s the way I see it.
Gareth Jones has developed a passion for the community over more than three decades of living in St. Albert.
