A volunteer is generally defined as a person who gives their time and knowledge into an action which helps the greater good, including their community, city or even country! According to dictionary.com, a volunteer is defined as:
1. A person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking.
2. A person who performs a service willingly and without pay.
The mayor of our lovely and lively city of Calgary gave a speech to my community about the importance and value of volunteering as well as the role of community within daily living. He addressed the tragic disaster our city faced during the Alberta Floods of 2013. If you remember, it was around the end of June last year where some of your exams got cancelled and the diploma’s became optional, (Crazy that CBE actually shut down the schools hey? They never seem to!). This was a devastating time for many individuals throughout the city. Yet, in the end the city of Calgary pulled together and we were able to fix the city within no time. So, why am I debriefing you on an event you were probably affected by in some way or another? It’s to remind you of the value that each of you posses and the ability and power to do something.
The mayor brought up an interesting idea that sparked inspiration within me. What if we all did three acts of altruistic volunteering for the city of Calgary? It could be something as small as shoveling your neighbors driveway, or doing a park cleanup, volunteering at shelters or fundraising for a charity. What if we each committed to three things for Calgary? What if we spread the word? If we each encouraged three people to perform three things for Calgary our city would have a minimum of 1 million acts of volunteerism.
We each have the power to make a change, whether large or small. So why not do so? Below, I have listed ideas that assist you in your three things for Calgary:
- Shoveling your neighbors driveway
- Donating to the food nank
- Helping in the soup kitchen in homeless shelters
- Gathering winter coats for the less fortunate
- Donating money to organizations that provide gifts for Christmas
- Community gardens
- Fund-raise money for an important cause
Check out some links that will help you start your philanthropic journey in Calgary!
So get involved! Experience the world around you from a different perspective than the norm. Convince others to support you and accompany you on your journey. There is so much more you can do for the city of Calgary. I’m willing to do three things for the city I love, are you going to accept the challenge?
