There are never enough volunteers to go around. Just ask any service club, charitable organization, community group or minor sports league.
Yes, every one of them could use some more help.
But the volunteers that we have in our midst do amazing work and we’re reminded of that fact by some of the inspiring stories that have appeared in this paper of late.
Take, for instance, Lloyd Berliner, the affable Truro lawyer who has helped make dreams come true for dozens of children facing life-threatening illnesses through 22 years of service with the Children’s Wish Foundation. A most deserving winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal to be sure.
Or how about Peter and Deborah Martyn, a Tatamagouche couple who spent a year living in primitive conditions in the east African nation of Tanzania helping teachers upgrade their English and teaching skills.
Then there is Doug Nelson, a Bible Hill man who completed his 30th and final year organizing a bowling tournament to help raise money for charity, most notably the IWK Hospital in Halifax, last weekend.
Another Bible Hill resident, 90-year-old Doug Boyce, was recently recognized for his decades of service to his community, much of it spent as a volunteer firefighter.
Our recent Salute to Minor Hockey feature, which can be viewed at trurodaily.com, reminded us once again of all the volunteer coaches and managers who enthusiastically pass on their love of the game to another generation of young Canadians.
And the official opening of an outdoor rink in Bible Hill last week was named in honour of the late Paul ‘Pony’ Clark,
who devoted many free-time hours to community events including flooding the rink late at night before his untimely death last year at the age of 40.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, of course, as there are so many other volunteers – with Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way, food banks, legions, at seniors’ homes, in schools, the hospital ladies auxilliary and many more – contributing to the community in very meaningful ways.
The problem, unfortunately, is that the demand for volunteers just never seems to get any smaller.
Hopefully, some of the stories we’ve told will serve as an inspiration for others to get involved.
