The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Waterloo Chronicle | Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 12 waterloochronicle.ca Threadi This year's National Volunteer Week theme “Volunteering Weaves Us Together” brings attention to the role of volunteer- ing in creating strong and vibrant communities with intercon- nected and supportive actions. “These diverse forms of sharing our time, talent and energy strengthen the fabric of our community,’ states the Volunteer Canada website in its promotion of the annual national cel- ebration slated for the week of April 16 to 22 in 2023. “Through volunteering we experience our interconnected- ness, making our lives more meaningful. Getting involved in various ways, we find friendship, develop trust, and link our rela- tionships. Threading these connections, we come to belong as we contribute toward the same goals; according to Volunteer Canada. National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to acknowledge the value of Canada’s 24 million volunteers and their mean- ingful contributions with a goal of creating a greater sense of purpose and dedication. “From helping build a home, cleaning up a park, or coach- ing a sports team to cooking for an ill friend, checking in on a neighbour, or helping a stranger cross the street, each action we take impacts our community's overall wellness, now and for future generations’ Volunteer Canada states. Volunteering can take many forms. Employers can encourage staff to donate their time to community causes either on company time or supported through other company resources. According to Volunteer Canada, employee demand for corporate social responsibility (CSR) is growing. Families can find opportunities to volun- teer together from working at a food bank, planting a community garden to walking animals at an animal shelter. A circle of friends, youth group, service club, student groups, faith group or neighbourhood can unite for a cause, support existing projects or create one of their own. Groups are vital to community housing construction projects, food and clothing drives, environ- mental projects like Earth Day clean-ups and skills-based activities. Intergenerational volunteering fosters relationships between individuals of different generations and addresses social issues like loneliness, ageism, digital divides and cognitive decline. Volunteering can be a short- term commitment to quick projects or a small contribution to a larger project. Newcomers come to volunteering to con- tribute to their new community and to meet people and social- ize. With baby boomers repre- senting multiple mosaics includ- ing family, ethnicity, religion and lifestyle preferences, older adults represent a talented and diverse group able to donate time to their communities. In recent years, virtual volun- teering done online is a way for organizations to engage people who want to contribute their skills and time via the internet. For more information about volunteering, visit volunteer.ca. To join the Volunteer Week cel- ebration, share the hashtags #NVW2023 #WeavingUsTogether. ay Special Thanks Fe aly whe VOLUNTEER v1 Wiiherler Kegion Capri ce food. john Community GE HopeSprit howard Support Hosen on NB | society od eonractions Campri win Host Ss House of Ab. rrerashe <vabitat tsdD for Humanity” WatetssReioe » Mennonite La. Semrattion Rayof Hops Trinity # Village A heartfelt thank you to our Board of Di giving your time, skills and talents to YMCA of Three Rivers NATIONAL APRIL 16-22, 2023 COMMUNITY © LIVING THANK YOU volunteers, who support PCL in its mission. persons with exceptional needs in our community. WAWAWA kell. a wae) Ke} VOLUNTEER WEEK Yu rectors, students and Thank you for enhance the lives of