It would be a bleak life without volunteers.
The streets quiet and the arena empty. Houses burning and trails in disrepair. The food bank closed and the Friends鈥� store too. Artifacts piled up and the town鈥檚 kids with nothing to do.
Jasper just wouldn鈥檛 be Jasper without our network of tireless volunteers.
There would be no Canada Day parade, Pride festival or rodeo; no community dinners or organized sports; no victim services or fire brigade.
The community would be lifeless.
And, yet, it鈥檚 easy to take Jasper鈥檚 services and events for granted鈥攁long with the volunteers that make them possible.
Everything is organized and articulated without a complaint or request for praise. Volunteers tuck themselves in the background, keeping busy with tasks big and small, expecting little in return, and rarely making themselves known.
But, despite their efforts to remain nameless, it鈥檚 important that we acknowledge and celebrate their work, reminding them that we not only recognize their efforts, we appreciate them.
Each year, National Volunteer Week is celebrated in April, providing an annual opportunity to shine a spotlight on our local volunteers.
It鈥檚 these modest, selfless folks that make our community vibrant. They鈥檙e the people that keep things moving; if something needs to be done, they鈥檙e quick to do it. They organize bottle drives, ref hockey games, bake cakes, build trails, chaperone field trips, sit on boards and organize events.
They shovel their neighbour鈥檚 driveways and rake their leaves. They visit sick friends, delivering food and good cheer.
They give up their time and energy for the betterment of the entire community, not because they want recognition, but because they love Jasper and want to see it thrive.
For that, they deserve both thanks and praise鈥攂ecause without them, Jasper would be a shadow of itself.
