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10 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE * Wednesday, April 23, 2008 /’\ From April 27 to May 3, Canadian volunteers step into the spotlight as VOl Uflteer communities across the country celebrate \3‘1’0“ centre ‘ National Volunteer Week, a special time set _# â€" Connecting Tolent 8 Community aside the last week of April each year, to honour and recognize Canadians who engage in their communities through volunteering. Volunteers are people who care enough to invest their time, talents and energy to help make Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo the best community possible. Because of volunteers: an elderly woman has a special friend to share her life; a disabled boy has gained selfâ€"esteem playing hockey on a community team; a mother is now able to read stories to her children; people are brought together through activities to build the true sense of ‘neighbourhood"; organizations are able to provide countless programs and services. During National Volunteer Week, the Volunteer Action Centre provides opportunities locally for charitable and notâ€"forâ€"profit organizations to recognize their volunteers. Items and special events are offered through the generous contributions of local businesses * Adoptâ€"aâ€"Road + Doon Heritage Crossroads * Doors Open Waterloo Region + Environmental Services * Joseph Schneider Haus + McDougall Cottage + Public Health * Region of Waterloo Library +« Sunnyside Home * Waterloo Wellington Children‘s Groundwater Festival Region of WaterlOO0 _ +Waterloo Region Emergency Support Team + Waterloo Region Police Services T Call 519â€"576â€"1329 x 3411 or visit www.facswaterloo.org to find out how you can help build a community where all children can s grow up being safe, healthy, and loved. fi You make the world of difference at WPL! We would like to thank our many friendly volunteers who donate their time to support a variety of library programs and services. NATIONAL Thank You! || iss Volunteers Building a Stronger Community at Thanks Volunteers! o“o‘f ‘3(,’ Sher DiCiccio, Executive Director e//l\‘-:'* Waterloo Community \‘ll"/ Arts Centre \‘ ;‘ In the Button Factory % 25 Regina St. S., Waterloo C MiACC (519) 886â€"4577 742â€"8327 Thank you Volunteers. | You make a difference in our community ‘ Member Agency of United Way of Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo and area. * j m | } $ J ) | se guem prmmaea gmmen j inameund i rrmntce f % f %. ) | \ iW / { f & , N 4 I 1 A $ j | proveal 5-\,») y gorondb uns | 6 j t 1 . 5 / W f | $ { 4 muncP mmcsemmmenermamemin omuommmeccunt | commut commedh «onmunf moremesmmth mrserttemmnieerety en 9 "Plus it would be pretty inexâ€" pensive to join the program. It would only be $60 per year for a regular membership. There would also be a pretty big stuâ€" dent discount of course." _ The problem of loss or damâ€" age to the bikes would be solved by a reservation system that would hold people‘s credit card numbers and make them responsible for the bikes. And "People can come off the LRT and jump onto a bike and head to work," said Clare. "These are really attractive lookâ€" ing systems and would fit in with the goals of the region. and collect them at certain demarcation points. It would also complement the proposed light rail transit being discussed for the area. Continued from page 5 Winners hope bikeâ€"sharing plan spreads and media. Events will be held and refreshments shared! The Children‘s Museum is offering a free event for volunteers and their families on May 1 between 4â€"8pm (tickets are available at the Volunteer Action Centre). This year the Volunteer Action Centre has also agreed to assist the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration in a pilot project entitled "Change the World â€" Ontario Youth Volunteer Challenge." The purpose of this challenge is to encourage youth volunteering as more than just the 40 hours of Community Involvement. Look for teams of high school youth out in the community completing projects and offer your appreciation. The Volunteer Action Centre would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the warm and caring volunteers of Waterloo Region for the work that they do â€" helping out, giving back and having fun! from compassion to action "Especially in our day and age ... the environmental moveâ€" ment is very mainstream," said Finkleman. "It‘s a major conâ€" cern of Canadians, and we thought as young Canadians it was proper for us to do our part to contribute in the best way we The biggest challenge will be changing people‘s thinking. But the members of the Velo team think people are open to this type of practical solution to solving congestion problems and cutting down on greenâ€" house gases. "They would all be identical bikes and the company â€" Velo â€" would maintain and look after them," said Clare. replacement and maintenance costs would only run in the hundreds of dollars a year instead of the thousands needâ€" ed to maintain a car. Fairview Mennonite Home 515 L&ngs Dr., Cambridge, On 519â€"653â€"5719 Thank You Volunteers APRIL 27 TO MAY 3 Your Kindness Makes a Difference Mennonite Home 726 New Hampshire St. Waterloo, On 519â€"885â€"4810 _"If some of these ideas make it to the next stage that would be fantastic." The project was just launched in the fall and already had 86 entries in its inaugural year. "The main goal was to encourage teamwork and creâ€" ative thinking," he said. "We wanted to get them working together and with faculty. Matthew Cram, manager of corporate communications with the TD Bank Financial Group, said that the whole idea of the program was to foster some innovation. "We hope that if it‘s successâ€" ful here that it would spur it on to other cities," said Lee. "It‘s about putting ideas to work and we think that Waterloo is one of the best places for that now." could as transport planners." Parkwood