Why Volunteer?


My sweetie volunteers for everything. I struggle between being proud of him and not being able to stand him.  Seriously.  I am proud of all that he does selflessly to make his corner of the world better, but it also makes me feel like a slug.  Also, he is always coming home with these great volunteer stories that I have to listen to.  It makes me jealous.  Not jealous enough to motivate me to volunteer, mind you, but jealous, none the less.  .

About a month ago, he signed me up to volunteer at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.  I immediately tried to cancel and have been trying to come up with an excuse why I couldn't be able to do this.  Unfortunately, when I tried to get out of it, he played a card that he has up his sleeve.  It turns out, he does about 100 things for me every day and I do nothing for him.  I did owe him.  Unfortunately, it is true, but, I was shocked that he actually noticed this power imbalance. 

Finally, yesterday, the day that I was treading, happened.  We have to be there at 4:00 pm, he said. 4:00 pm?  What time will be get out?  The event wraps up at about 10 pm so we should be out by 10:30 pm.  If you are a math whiz, you will come to the same conclusion that I did, 6.5 hours !  I have to admit that I was contemplating throwing myself down a flight of stairs.  I was not above breaking a bone to get out of this.  I guess my sweetie saw the wheels turning in my head, and told me that I would actually have a good time. 

It turns out, he was right.  For those keeping score, that is twice this year.

I met some amazing people.  One of the amazing people that I met was my new friend Marco who is in the selfie above.  I was so fortunate to be partnered with Marco at the registration table.  That is why I am smiling.  He is smiling, well, it strikes me, that he is always smiling.  Marco is a symbol of everything that is right about Winnipeg.  He is young and is goal orientated and he loves people.  He is currently in University and is paying his own way through a job that he has had for about 5 years.  He is looking five-ten years ahead and wants to be a physical education teacher merging his love for sports and his love for helping people together.  Unlike me, he is really busy, yet, is still looking for more opportunities to volunteer.  He was easy to talk to and we worked together efficiently.  Time went by very quickly.  If all youth are as great as Marco, we have a great future to look forward to, and it means our schools are providing opportunities for young people to develop as enthusiastic life-long learners. 

So, volunteering means meeting new friends. 


Volunteering also means you get opportunities that you would otherwise miss.  I got to interact with approximately 460 people who were all happy and having a good time.  2018 has been a difficult year is you are a human.  Every day, we are reminded by the media of the hate that exists in the world and more than ever, there seems more reasons to divide us and to keep us a part.  It was just a huge piece of special to get a crowd together to celebrate achievements.  

I also witnessed 6 athletes, 1 builder, 1 team, and 1 member of the media being honoured for their contributions to sports in Manitoba.  I got to listen to their journeys.  I spent most of the evening making notes because I was so inspired.  Sorry, but their messages were so powerful that I have to devote a future blog to them after I reflect a little more.  

I had an amazing meal with great company.  I felt so guilty.  I did nothing to deserve this.  As I mentioned, I was partnered with Marco, he did his job and mine, too.  I was thanked for volunteering.  I really thought they were going to ask me to pay for my meal.  I did nothing and time went by so quickly.  

There was only one bitter-sweet moment in the evening.  I got to watch Joey Vickery being inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.  I don't know of any young woman in Manitoba of my age who didn't have a huge crush on Joey Vickery.  I would have no interest in basketball if it hadn't been for Joey Vickery and he was a reason to keep the news on to the sports section.  Such a cutie-pututie.  I was so excited about the prospect of seeing him again, until, I did.  I saw him and it almost made me sick to my stomach.  To say that the three decades have been kind to him would be such an understatement.  He has actually gotten more cuter and looks even younger.  Whatever is in the water in Austria, I want it.  

So, my night went almost full circle.  I went from not wanting to go and feeling like a slug to having a great time to feeling like a geriatric slug compared to Vickery.  

Then, I checked my phone.  There was proof that why volunteering is so rewarding.
I can't wait to volunteer again !!!!!

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