Volunteer Celebration a Highlight of the Spring

Recently I had the pleasure of attending our annual volunteer appreciation night at Valley Centre Community Hall. This event is truly one of the highlights of the year for me, as it showcases all of the work done to make our community one of the best places in the world.

During the evening, we watched eagerly as a video profiled some of our local volunteers. While I watched, I was reminded of how much pride there is in Red Deer County. Our residents go out of their way to ensure a GREAT quality of life in the County.

Whether it is caring for a community hall, serving as a treasurer for a community group, or being a volunteer fire fighter, every person who volunteers makes the County a better place to live. I feel it is extremely important for us to take the time to thank these people, as their work often goes unrecognized.

As the old saying goes, “if you want something done, give it to a busy person.” This rings very true as many of our rural volunteers are full-time farmers, parents, or employees of a local business. Yet they still are able to give back to their community.

Often people are hesitant to volunteer because they don’t feel they have anything to contribute. I would say to those people they can give the most valuable thing in the world – their TIME. We live such busy lives, that time has become one of the most valuable commodities we have. Volunteers know this, but give freely anyway.

As we move into spring, there are many upcoming areas where someone can contribute their time. When the snow melts, we are often faced with large amounts of litter that have collected. That makes projects like community and roadway clean ups so important. Red Deer County would not be a great place to live, work, and grow if it were covered by unsightly garbage. I know it is not a glamorous job, but it’s a very valuable one. Council always dedicates an afternoon each spring to assist with clean up.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not thank the County staff who were responsible for putting together such a wonderful event. The food was amazing (as always) and the entertainment was top notch. The MC and speakers were tremendous as usual. Our staff work hard to recognize the efforts of residents who help to make life better. All in all, I could not be prouder of the people here. It is an honour to represent such a great group!