My passion and experience in the volunteer sector began as a young child. I have great parents who were always involved in the community and volunteered a lot of their time. One of the first events I remember volunteering in was a "Christmas Caravan", every December our neighbourhood hosts the event to collect nonperishable food items and gently used clothing and toys. Volunteers from the community walk door to door and collect donations. It has become a big annual event complete with a Santa Clause, Mounted Police, Firetrucks playing holiday music, and a community BBQ. Every year the Christmas Caravan collects approximately 15 000 tonnes of food, $1000 in cash donations, and a truckload of clothing and toys. These donations are then redistributed throughout the Toronto area.
I cannot remember my first caravan, but I can remember many that I have participated in over the years, and the variety of roles that I have had the opportunity to serve as a volunteer. One of the most memorable years was when I was in high school, and the caravan day happened to be the day after the largest snow storm of that winter so far. There was about a foot of snow that we were travelling through, the roads had not been fully plowed, and even the police cars were getting stuck! I remember walking door to door and collecting all sorts of donations for local organizations and communities. As volunteers we all took breaks as we needed them to stay warm, and were met with hot chocolate at all of our rest stops in attempts of staying warm. It was definitely a year to remember! This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the Christmas Caravan, and I will be participating once again. My father was the one who really got my involved in the community event, he was a scout leader in the neighbourhood and volunteered in the neighbourhood with great pride, and encouraged his scout's and their families to participate in the Christmas Caravan as well. What I learned from this is that being a role model is extremely important. The skills that young children develop and the opportunities they participate in are driven by the adults in their life. If we actively volunteer and give of our time to support communities and organizations than we demonstrate that volunteering is valuable. That it is worth giving our time to assist others. This is something that I believe my father modelled for me, and a philosophy that live by and I hope that throughout this blog I can share more of my volunteer experiences, how they have shaped who I am and my personal values, as well as the opportunities I have been provided because of my passion and commitment to volunteering.
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AuthorI, Hilary Browne, am an Occasional Teacher with the Toronto District School Board. I have a passion for engaging with the community and teaching my students through positive community engagement experiences. ArchivesCategories |