Three cheers for volunteers

Dedicated community members receive recognition for their hard work

Volunteers have their own reasons for doing what they do. Some have extra time on their hands, and want to support their friends and neighbours. Some feel it is their duty to give back to their community. And some just like to keep busy.

“If you don’t do it you go stale,” said Tom Hancock, who was recently presented with a Macdonald Volunteer Service award at a ceremony early this month.

The awards are handed out annually to celebrate the efforts and dedication of outstanding volunteers in the community.

“I hate that word ‘volunteer’; if I didn’t do this stuff, I’d have to go to work, said Hancock, who is now retired.

An Oak Bluff resident for over 20 years, Hancock has always volunteered, both in and outside his community.

“If you don’t do it, it doesn’t get done,” he said.

“I’m a results person; I like to see things come to fruition.”

Hancock is chairman of the Oak Bluff Recreation Centre and board chairman of the Oak Bluff branch of Sanford Credit Union. He has been nvolved with many local fundraisers over the years, most recently with the Shoot for the Cure fundraiser for CancerCare Manitoba. He also hosts “old-time dances,” to give the older members of the community a chance to get out of their houses and have a great time.

Helen and John Marshall, who also received awards at the ceremony on May 1, said they volunteer because they love to do it.

Marshall said she does various little jobs around the community, helping out wherever she can.

“I just do it,” she said.

“I don’t really keep track.”

She said her volunteer work began with the United Church and grew from there.

She started doing a lot of work for seniors after being touched by the commitment of volunteers to her elderly father.

“I looked at somebody looking after my dad, and I said I’m going to look around and see how I can help somebody else’s parent.”

Her most recent project was arranging an exercise group for seniors.

“I decided I wanted to start walking and getting some exercise,” she said.

“And I thought maybe there’s others who would like to join me.”

Despite her commitment to the community, Marshall was surprised to be given the award.

“I didn’t expect any awards,” she said.

Her husband John commits his time to building and wood-working in the community, whether helping build an addition for the church or helping to wire the ice rink.

“It keeps me busy,” he said.

The Marshalls have lived in Starbuck for 34 years. John said they chose to settle down there because “it’s a very volunteer-oriented community.”

Susanne Moore, recreation director for White Plain Recreation District, said the awards are meant to acknowledge the great work people do in their communtiies.

Nominations are submitted to the R.M. of Macdonald’s public Recreation committee, and Moore said the nominations are hardly ever turned down.

“We don’t necessarily have winners; just recipients,” she said.

“There are tons of people out there who need to be recognized,” she said.

“These people are just so involved in so many things.

“They get the bigger picture.”