There were a number of responses fairly quickly and many of those answering are very busy indeed.
There seems no logical or simple way of organizing the material that I received, so here it is, in no particular order of importance. It is my hope that this preliminary report will prompt others to share their volunteer activities and that it may also encourage folks to consider getting involved with some of the organizations and activities described herein.
I begin with the organizations cited at the AGM, since that got the ball rolling.
Other Volunteer Activities Submitted:
There seems no logical or simple way of organizing the material that I received, so here it is, in no particular order of importance. It is my hope that this preliminary report will prompt others to share their volunteer activities and that it may also encourage folks to consider getting involved with some of the organizations and activities described herein.
I begin with the organizations cited at the AGM, since that got the ball rolling.
- Martha’s Table: A non-profit charitable organization providing low cost nutritious meals to those in need in a safe and accepting environment. Its “Friendship Room” offers comfortable space for all, with access to a telephone, computers, free Wi-Fi, and restrooms. Visit www.marthastable.ca/volunteersign-up.html to learn more.
- Goodway Thrift Store provides staff with an opportunity to learn new skills and gain work experiences. Visit https://thegoodway.ca/individual-volunteer/ for information on volunteer needs.
- International Centre at SLC finds that international students often have a challenge learning to converse in English. If you are interested in meeting informally with small groups of students to help them with English, contact Rob Zuback at [email protected]
- Breast Cancer Action Kingston (www.bcakingston.ca). This is a local survivor-directed, volunteer-led charitable organization whose purpose is to develop programs to educate, counsel and support women and men living with breast cancer, as well as their families and the community at large.
Other Volunteer Activities Submitted:
- #1. Docent at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, tour guide at City Hall and volunteer with the Downtown Kingston! Business Improvement Area.
#2. Involved with 100 Women Who Care. Members meet, determine what local charity or not-for-profit organization will be supported and each member provides a $100 cheque for the chosen organization. There are branches of 100 Women operating in all three campus areas of SLC:
Cornwall: https://www.womenwhocarecornwall.com/
Brockville: https://www.facebook.com/100Women1000Islands
Kingston: https://www.100womenkingston.com/
A Google search will also turn up a number 100 Men Who Care organizations in the SLC area.
#3. Volunteer with WPBS-DT in Watertown NY, Toastmasters at St. Lawrence College, and two Senior Centres – Kingston (https://seniorskingston.ca/) and Southern Frontenac Community Services (http://www.sfcsc.ca/). Also long term volunteer with Fair Vote Canada, annual Ride for Dad to Fight Prostate Cancer, and one long weekend annually providing training at the Canadian Hypnosis Conference.
#4. Volunteering 2 and ½ days a week in primary school, helping students with reading, writing, developing oral skills, math, and language development skills. On the executive of the local Skating Club and the local Catholic Women's League. Lay minister in the local church. Serve on a local school council. Canvassing for charities such as the CNIB and Heart and Stroke Foundation. [Editor’s Note: I’m sure glad this person retired!]
#5. On the executive of the Transplant Advocate Association. Work with the Trillium Gift of Life (https://www.giftoflife.on.ca/en/) to provide support for people going through the transplant process.
#6. St Mary's Cathedral Luncheon Program, where nine teams of volunteers take turn in providing a hot lunch for people in need each Saturday at St. John's Catholic Church Hall. Each group purchases and bring the supplies needed, cook, serve and clean up following the lunch. The cost is split among the volunteers in the group. Also Red Heart Pillows, (https://www.facebook.com/heartpillowskingston) a group which makes/sews the small red pillows that are given to each patient having heart surgery at KGH. They meet weekly at Cataraqui United Church Hall to do their sewing.
#7. Member of the Brockville Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee and a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Committee of the South East Local Health Integration Network representing Brockville and Area. In addition, I spearhead the Burn Awareness (https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc/beburnaware) and Anti-Bullying campaigns for the Brockville and District Shrine Club and Shrine International.
#8. Vice Chair for Dress for Success. www.dressforsuccess.org/Kingston and Cabinet Co-Chair of Pathways to Education in Kingston, one of a suite of programs and services provided through the Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC) that promote and support individual and community health. An innovative community-based program, it is designed to increase high school graduation rates for youth living in Kingston’s predominantly low-income north end, and help students successfully transition into post-secondary education or training. The program focuses on helping high school students through tutoring, mentoring, financial support, and advocacy. See https://www.pathwaystoeducation.ca/.
Volunteer opportunities for SLC retirees include acting as a tutor or mentor, participating in local fundraising events, and donating to the organization. More detailed information on Pathways to Education will be found at the Retiree Association website.
#9. Coaching track and cross-country running 12 months of the year, both local high school and university athletes. Official assistant coach at both Regi and Holy Cross and also President of a local track club. Spend about 15 to 30 hours a week on this activity. [Editor’s Note: No prize for guessing who this might be.]
#10. Volunteer ushers at Grand Theatre and Board member of Barriefield Village Association.
#11. Community Volunteer Patient Program. Since its inception in 1972 as the Clinical Learning Centre, Kingston community volunteers have been helping teach health science students. Our Volunteer Patients interact with students and, through a variety of opportunities, share their authentic experiences. See https://healthsci.queensu.ca/academics/cec/volunteer-patient-program.
Volunteer patients can be people of any age (including SLC retirees), from all walks of life, who are healthy, or living with an illness or disability. They are “real people” with whom medical students can interact and they provide the student learners with feedback on their communication styles and interaction. [In other words, this is your opportunity to ensure that future doctors have a good bedside manner.]- #12. Emergency street work with a youth triage volunteer team looking to help street kids in distress at night. They are called upon to intervene when a crisis is occurring. Also volunteer with a counselling team at a local community clinic for children, two weekend afternoons per month.
- #13 Ruth Tracy has provided information on another volunteer activity involving our retirees. The focus of the OWA is the environment, soil and waterfront issues, along with teaching children how to identify different types of trees and forest plants. It has 22 chapters in Ontario and the local Limestone Chapter has 120 members. See
https://www.ontariowoodlot.com/get-to-know-owa/chapters/limestone-chapter.
If offers free lectures (often held at the Cataraqui Conservation Authority offices just north of the city along Division Street), family field days, and tree planting events.
Those active in this organization in the past include Marilyn Murphy (now living in New Zealand) and Nathalie Sorensen. Ruth is Secretary of the Limestone Chapter and can be contacted at [email protected] if you would like more information about this organization.