Introducing ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards (YODA) recipient of the Volunteerism award, Taylor Lambie.
“The Volunteerism Award is given to a youth who is truly selfless and dedicated to helping others. Though not necessarily in a leadership role, this youth has shown commitment to bettering their community by volunteering their time to a cause they are passionate about.” – YODA 2014
She currently attends Bishop Grandin High School, and she’s an amazing youth. She’s something like a super-volunteer! You know that gut feeling you get when you just have to find out about an amazing person? Well, I got in touch with Taylor through email, and she was great with answering all of my questions – although some of them were rather spontaneous – in detail. A wordy post, but full of thought!
1. What is your motivation to volunteer?
Simply put, my motivation to volunteer is to help as many people as possible. I also get motivated by the Kristin Kares Klub – which is one of the main charities I volunteer with. When I was in Grade 7, a student in Grade 6 student got cancer; her name was Kristin Rothweiler. Unfortunately, the next year she passed away just a few weeks before her 16th birthday and her family founded the Kristin Kares Klub. It’s something that Kristin came up with just before she passed away. The purpose of the Klub is to help animals and humans. This is another motivation for me to volunteer – caring for Kristin’s dream to help as many animals and humans as possible.
2. Share one of your best “feel-good” moments from volunteering.
There are two feel-good moments that come to mind. The first is when I was in Costa Rica – it was our first day at the build site and we got to meet the couple we were going to be building for. Their names were Oscar and Jacqueline. Jacqueline was about eight months pregnant when we started our building. We were standing in a circle with them and we got to introduce ourselves to them – it was like we were forming some type of a family. My dad introduced our family to the couple through our translator, and when Jacqueline found out I was doing this for my 16th birthday, she was shocked and really pleased. I have to say it was an awesome feeling to know that my birthday had a purpose behind it and this home we were building would one day have many birthdays celebrated in it with the couple and their daughter. My second favorite moment was just after the flood; me and my friend had spent about a week baking treats and making cards to send to local fire stations in Calgary and High River. As well, we made cards for media stations to thank them for all the coverage they provided. We decided to also give some cookies to the city workers in High River because they were the ones working hard during and after the flood, especially with all the back up of garbage and debris. Their job definitely did not sound very pretty, but someone had to do it. They did without complaining – they put their city first, before their damaged houses. When we arrived to give them cookies and a card during their break they were surprised and shocked because I don’t think many people knew exactly all they had done. They were so thankful and grateful for us to have thought of them; it was a great feeling to know how much they appreciated what we did for them and I think that they definitely deserved it.
3. Who are some inspirational people that you have met from your experiences?
The top inspirational person to me is unfortunately someone I will never meet, Kristin Rothweiler. I got involved in the Klub created in her memory because I was friends with all of her friends. I never actually got to meet her, but each and every day she reminds me of the courage she had to go through having a serious illness and still be determined to find a way to help people. It’s something I don’t know if I will ever fully understand. Other people that inspire me include Pam Rothweiler, and Kristin’s mom – she has always been there to help and encourage everyone she meets despite having gone through losing her daughter three years ago and having their family house burn down this year. She is always smiling and happy no matter what; she was one of the first besides my parents that truly understood and encouraged my desire to help people. While I was growing up, people always teased me because I liked to help others when I was in elementary school – it was the typical “teacher’s pet” stuff. As I grew up I became very socially isolated from my classmates – something that has had a huge effect on my life. I remember trying unsuccessfully to convince my parents to home school me, but Pam and the Kristin Kares Klub gave me this place where I could be myself and not be afraid to be myself. Pam has always been there for me these past three years; she and her family have been a huge inspiration to me.
4. Do you have any future plans for helping out in the community?
As of right now, I have a few plans to help out in my community as well as internationally. In August, I will be heading to Kenya, Africa with Free the Children to build a school. I am so excited because this will be my second international volunteer trip and I hope to work for Free the Children one day. Locally, I am starting a new volunteer project were I will be knitting scarves and blankets; as well, my mom is going to make some jewellery that features a penny. Together we are going to sell these items and donate the money to different charities. My main focus it to donate it to a charity that benefits people with intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities – my dream job is to create programs for people with disabilities in developing countries. During Christmas, me and my friend Christina, who helped me with baking after the flood, will bake treats and make Christmas cards for our local police and fire stations. I am the co-president of my school’s Best Buddies Chapter which this coming school year I will once again be leading.
5. What is your favorite quote and why?
I have two favorite quotes. The first is “When I get older I am going to travel the world to help people and animals,” Kristin – age six; this quote has kind of become my life mission. I want to be a humanitarian when I am older and to help as much as possible, just like Kristin wanted to. I am determined to fulfill both of our dreams. The second quote that inspires me is something that I heard watching Canada’s Hall of Fame: Jacob Hoggard was introducing the Keilberg brothers, and he talked about the time he was in India speaking to a local. The local said to him, “Why are we so concerned in leaving a good world behind for our children and not concerned in leaving good children for our world?” This instantly got me and my mom rethinking – I mean, we are always saying we want to change this world so it’s better for the future generations, but I now look at it more like we need to improve our generation and all the future generations to come. We all need to look out for one another and our world.
6. What are your hobbies?
My hobbies beside volunteering are reading and sports. I got to compete in my first triathlon this year and I joined my school’s swim team and rugby team this year as well.
7. Anything else you would like to add?
The only other thing that I would like to add is to say that volunteering has had such a huge impact on my life. Before, I was afraid to let people know that I liked to spend my time volunteering, fearing they might tease me like people have done in the past. However, volunteering has really helped me to come out of my shell. I am more outgoing know and not afraid to try new things. Before, I hated sports – people used to tell me I sucked at them, but now I have stopped caring about what people thought. That’s the main thing I have learnt from volunteering: it is okay to do what I like and that I shouldn’t be afraid of what people will say.
