Without willing volunteers who are committed and invested in Sundre, there really would not be much of a community worth speaking of.
The Sundre and District Historical Society, the Sundre Rodeo and Race Association, the Sundre Minor Hockey Association, the Sundre Curling Club, the Sundre Bike 'n Ski Club, the Sundre Art Society, the Sundre Fish and Game Association as well as the local trappers' association, Sundre minor ball as well as soccer ó the list goes on and on, and those were just a handful of local organizations that came off of the top of my mind.
None of these staples in the community would exist if not for the tireless efforts and countless hours volunteers put in. Time and again I hear expressed from members of such groups unreserved pride and praise for people who give of themselves to improve their hometown and make Sundre the best municipality possible.
"Volunteers have a positive impact on the community," said Barb Rock, community services assistant for the Town of Sundre, who has been involved in helping to organize, in partnership with several other organizations, a recognition event for volunteers that runs today ó Tuesday, April 25 ó at the Sundre Community Centre from 1-3 p.m.
The municipality has an outstanding level of volunteer engagement, she said.
"People are busy, but I know they are still very generous with their volunteer time. When people are very passionate about a cause, to them, volunteering just comes naturally."
Describing their efforts as invaluable, Rock said many programs would not run and that organizations would simply not function without people who contribute. And while the community certainly benefits from the efforts of volunteers, people who offer their time also get the opportunity to build friendships with others they might not otherwise have had a chance to meet.
"Volunteering helps to build a more cohesive, safer, stronger community," she said, adding it also helps to improve the social connection among neighbours.
Building proverbial bridges is a big part of the reasons why community volunteers such as Jean Hague, who among other initiatives helps out with Greenwood Neighbourhood Place's volunteer income tax program, does not hesitate to get involved.
"I've volunteered most of my adult life. It's rewarding for me," Hague recently told the Round Up, adding she enjoys the camaraderie involved with working with volunteers as well as the opportunity to meet fellow "Sundreites."
Anyone who feels like including a new aspect in his or her life should really think about finding an organization to volunteer with, she said.
"It gets you out of the house, and you get to meet the most wonderful people."
Additionally, volunteering keeps a person actively engaged, which has its own benefit.
"This is what keeps me young," enthusiastically said Hague.
Who could argue with that?
