Page 4 - D17319 - LBMA - Jul-Aug 21 Reporter - Final - web optimized
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Message from the CHAIR






                              the importance of being a volunteer










                               (Ron Schell is on leave at the moment.  We have reproduced an article from past chair Ken Forbes. This was originally
                               in the Sep/Oct 2017 issue of the Reporter)

             ken forbes         learned the importance of volunteering at a young   involved  with  all kinds  of  committees, community
          Orillia Trim & Door,   I  age, as a way of giving back to the community.  groups and boards.
              Severn, ON         As a youth, I was a cub and a scout with Scouts   Volunteering has become a big part of my life.  I
                              Canada. Over the years, I came to realize that most   have made a lot of good friends, many who I wouldn’t
                              of  the  adults,  leaders  and  administration  people   have  met  without  getting  involved  fully  in  many
                              were all volunteers - That included my dad.  Because   organizations  over  the  years.  My  association  with
                              of his job, he couldn’t commit to be a Cub or Scout   the LBMAO has been, and continues to be, very close
                              leader,  so  he  worked  to  help  organize  camps,  trips   to my heart and has provided me with the chance to
                              and those dreaded fund raisers. These jobs - each as   meet many good people I now call friends.
                              important as the other - helped to support the day-to-  Over the past seven years, I’ve turned down many
                              day operation of the group. I thought that every cub’s   requests from different organizations to help out as
                                        mom and dad helped out; imagine how   a volunteer so I could devote my time to providing
                   "I can't remember  great that would have been.         support for my mom and dad in their twilight years;
                        the first time    I  think  the  first  time  I  realized  that   an honour I am glad I was able to provide. Back in
                                        not  all  the  parents  helped  was  during   January,  after  mom  passed,  I  planned  on  stepping
                          I heard the  our  annual  bottle  drive  (that  was  back   back to have some “me time”. It wasn’t long before I
                     expression "10%    when there was a deposit on almost all   felt that something was missing; and I realized that
                                        glass bottles). It was early on a Saturday   (for me) volunteering is a big part of “me time”.
                    of people do 90%  morning  in  late  October.  On  cold  and   Statistics say that 13.3 million people are involved
                     of the work," but   drizzly  day,  myself  and  three  of  my   in volunteerism across Canada. While that represents
                                        buddies climbed into my dad’s car and we   one-third  of  the  population,  in  reality  the  actual
                     it has resonated  headed out to the first street.  Dad would   numbers  are  much  lower,  as  most  volunteers  serve
                      throughout my     drive slowly down the block while two of   more  than  one  organization,  thus  the  saying  “10%
                                        us would go door-to-door down each side
                                                                          of the people do 90% of the work”. It is a well-known
                       years of being   of the street, picking up the bottles and   fact that without volunteers, our Canadian way of life
                                        bringing  them  back  to  the  open  trunk.   would be quite different and things like our medical
                        involved with   We made many trips back to the meeting   system would grind to a halt. As an employer, I have
                          all kinds of   hall to unload; then back to gather more   always encouraged  my  staff  to  get  involved  and
                                        bottles.                          have supported them with advice and sponsorships
                         committees,      I think it was mid afternoon when a   whenever  possible.  As  our  population  continues
                  community groups      car pulled up and one of the dads, looking   to age, the need for more and more volunteers will
                                        pretty  angry,  approached  my  dad  and   continue to grow.
                         and boards."   started  yelling  at  him  about  keeping   If  you  are  part  of  the  10%,  thank  you  from  the
                                        his  son  out  for  so  long  on  a  nasty  day.   bottom of my heart; if you are part of the 90%, please
                              He also complained he was missing a football game   give  serious  consideration  to  switching  teams.  The
                              on  TV  in  order  to  pick  up  his  son.  Dad  didn’t  get   reward of serving in any form will pay great dividends
                              flustered, he simply turned to the man and told him   in your personal well being, while making a positive
                              if he would get off his ass and come out to help, we   impact on others.
                              could all be warm at home, watching the game. The   In closing, I just joined a team that is organizing
                              man didn’t have a response, he just grabbed his kid by   the  fundraising  and  build  for  a  much-needed  new
                              the hand and left.                          men’s, women’s and family shelter in Orillia. It feels
                                 I  can’t  remember  the  first  time  I  heard  the   great to be back!
                              expression “10% of the people do 90% of the work”,
                              but  it  has  resonated  throughout  my  years  of  being


        4  LBMAO Reporter - July-August 2021                                                         www.lbmao.on.ca
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