We’ve written before in this space about the importance of volunteers to our community and those around us.
While the recent National Volunteer Week featured events and other celebrations spotlighting the work the thousands of volunteers across Canada do in the course of a year, some local events prompted us to notice how big an effect West Shore volunteers have on our communities.
Last weekend’s World Rugby Women’s Seven Series tournament at Westhills Stadium, for example, could not have happened without the help of dozens of volunteers. Their efforts in areas from hospitality to off-field marshaling made the trip to Langford to watch world-class rugby a treat for spectators and players alike.
A related event last week, the provincial high school girls sevens rugby championships, also required the assistance of parent volunteers and in many cases, volunteer coaches to help provide the young players with the opportunity to test their skills at a high level.
Sports is a common place to find volunteers, on the West Shore as with most other areas of Greater Victoria. With minor baseball and lacrosse seasons upon us, volunteer coaches and executive members are hard at work creating opportunities and preparing young players for tests of their respective athletic skills in game situations.
While sports requires numerous volunteers, such activities as working with seniors, church groups and the planning and carrying out of emergency response procedures, are also mostly done by unpaid individuals or committees. We’ll see a wide assortment of the latter group of people at the upcoming Emergency Preparedness Fair at West Shore Parks and Recreation.
So, we tip our caps to the raft of volunteers who make our communities vibrant and interesting and alive. They often serve in quiet dedication, but why not take a moment today to say thanks? It makes everyone feel good.