When was the last time you high-fived a volunteer?
If it’s been awhile, consider next week an opportunity to play catch up.
April 10-16 is National Volunteer Week—a week dedicated to celebrating Canada’s non-profit organizations, charities and volunteers.
In Jasper, there are plenty of people deserving of a high five. Our community has a thriving volunteer workforce, spanning the gamut from hockey coaches to trail builders, historians and firefighters.
Without those selfless folks, there would be no Canada Day parade, rodeo or folk fest; no community dinners or organized sports; no victim services or fire brigade.
Houses would burn down. Kids would run wild with nothing to do. Trails would disappear under overgrown trees. Artifacts would pile up and history would be forgotten.
But, fortunately, that’s not the world we live in; the tireless efforts of Jasper’s volunteers ensure our town keeps ticking.
Jasper has so many unsung heroes, all of whom make small, often unnoticed gestures, ensuring everyone in the community is well taken care of.
They visit ailing friends, bringing food and good cheer. They shovel sidewalks, rake leaves and hang Christmas lights.
It’s these modest, selfless folks that make our community dynamic. If something needs to be done, they get it done. They organize bottle drives, ref hockey games, bake cakes, chaperone field trips, sit on boards and organize events, often without recognition.
National Volunteer Week was originally created in 1943 to recognize women’s contributions to the war effort in Canada, but it has since become a week to celebrate all volunteers.
We’d like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to Jasper’s volunteers—not only do you make our community vibrant, you also ensure we always have something to write about.
We hope you’ll collect many high fives this week!
