Canadian Red Cross - BC Southern Interior

What first inspired you to volunteer?

I have grown up with the mentality that 'the more you give, the more you have'. The concept of community members investing themselves into a good cause with nothing in return but self-fulfillment makes me feel proud of my community. I wanted to be a part of this supportive movement of volunteering and potentially inspire others to take part as well. Throughout my life, the community has provided me with many opportunities and chances that are absolutely invaluable. Through volunteering I can start giving back to my community and contribute to starting a new generation of volunteers.

Which cause are you most passionate about and why?

I am most passionate about the rehabillitation of damaged areas. Natural disasters such as droughts, floods, tsunamis, fires, earthquakes etc. have devastated millions of people. I believe that helping others in a time of need brings people closer together. Whether it is supporting those affected by the tsunami in Japan or the fire in Fort MacMurray, people are drawn together by supporting the same cause. I feel safer knowing that if anything were to happen to my community, there would be others to help support us in our time of need.

What first inspired you to volunteer?

Honestly, I started volunteering only to complete the required hours for school, but I quickly realized that there was more to it than that. Volunteering has become something I enjoy and I like being able to say that I'm not just volunteering for school hours. The benefits of volunteering are tremendous, especially for a young high school student like myself.

Which cause are you most passionate about and why?

Education is one cause that I feel very passionate about because it is something that both myself and others have taken for granted. We as a society often forget that there are others who don't have the same opportunities as those in more economically developed countries. Education provides a platform for students that allows them to reach new places and gain new opportunities, and it's unfair that some people are denied this.

What first inspired you to volunteer?

Volunteering has always been an interest of mine. Anthony J. D'Angelo once said, “Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community." I can identify with this way of thinking, as I believe that we, as individuals in a community, have a responsibility to care for it, and therefore maintain it. Initially, I was inspired to volunteer at the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank, as I was interested in a program which allowed me to directly give back to the community, or more importantly, to those in need. The ability to experience direct contact with those who I had helped felt truly gratifying, and personally seeing the necessity of volunteering and helping others reinforced my belief in stepping forward for one's community. Seeing the impact of the organization and its volunteers inspired me to seek out new and more volunteering positions, as I hoped to be part of an impact on the community in other capacities as well.

Which cause are you most passionate about and why?

It is hard to pick a single cause that I am most passionate about, because I consider all of them important. However, I particularly believe in helping to curtail poverty. Serving in the Food Bank has demonstrated to me the importance of helping those who are financially less fortunate. Their serious dependence on the meals that are offered to them, and their positivity and gratefulness, illustrated for me a clear picture of why poverty is an issue which we need to tackle. If we don't help these people, we may never see the great value that some could bring to making our world a better place.