Sure, it’s National Volunteer Week.
But really, every week in the Foothills and Okotoks area is Volunteer Week.
Volunteers are the backbone of the community and many events, organizations, schools, sports teams and much more would be cut-off at the knees if it wasn’t for the volunteer effort.
Though many events have been cancelled due to the pandemic – events that volunteers flock to in order to help their community – COVID hasn’t stopped Okotoks area residents from helping.
There were fears of the Okotoks Food Bank shelves going empty when COVID first hit in March of 2020.
But the food bank has continued to thrive – and serve as the hub for much of southern Alberta – as volunteers are assisting at the facility, and food drives and donations continue to come in.
And hey, if you are donating your hard-earned cash, consider yourself a volunteer – you are much needed.
There are plenty of volunteers behind the scenes. The end of April is a taxing time – yep that deadline for income taxes to be filed is April 30.
There is a small army of volunteers throughout the Foothills area helping those who need assistance – but do not necessarily have the financial wherewithal or knowledge – with their taxes.
They deserve huge credit (tax credit?).
Throughout the year there are volunteer efforts that go unnoticed. Students in Percy Pegler School’s outdoor program spending an afternoon shovelling sidewalks for example – with one student insisting he couldn’t take any money from a well-meaning resident.
COVID has meant ingenuity – virtually trying anything to keep an event going.
Many events have had to go virtual in the past 13 months, from running events to the annual Okotoks Christmas Food Bank concert. The events were different but still alive due to volunteer efforts – and in the case of the Christmas concert, raising record amounts of dollars.
