With National Volunteer Week coming up (April 10-16, 2011), as well as Ontario Coaches Week (April 9-17, 2011), I thought I would take the time to reflect on my volunteer experience.
This past weekend I was the recipient of the Doc Brauweiler Memorial Award for outstanding sports volunteer in my hometown of Welland. To have my name mentioned along with some of the award’s previous winners, many of whom have been my inspiration and friends, is truly an honour I will never forget.
One thing that I can certainly attest to is that volunteering is a life-changing experience. You may never fully realize the impact of your efforts, but one thing is certain, it will change your life, if not that of many others.
It’s not what you choose to do that makes a difference, it’s that you choose to do it that makes all the difference. In my case, I chose very simple tasks (playing music and announcing at games, or taking pictures) that while they do not affect the outcomes of the games, they make the experience more enjoyable for everyone. Anyone could do what I do, but because no one was, I stepped up to fill the void.
I would have been the last person anyone would have expected to do this, being painfully shy and not one who had any experience with a camera, and I had a limited music knowledge or interest when I started. I could have come up with every excuse not to do it, but I took a chance, one that I will never regret and the whole experience has transformed me. I quickly learned as I went, and before long I had enough confidence that I knew I had made the right decision.
You don’t always have to wait for the opportunity to present itself either. In my case, no one asked me to start announcing. I simply noticed no one else was, and I started doing it fully expecting someone to tell me to stop. They never did. Sure, there were a few complaints initially, as I learned the ropes and figured out what I was doing, but there was also a lot of positive feedback along the way to encourage me to continue.
So I would encourage you, yes YOU, to find something you can do to help others. You never know where it will take you, but you will enjoy the ride, that I promise you.
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April 5, 2011 Changing Lives
With National Volunteer Week coming up (April 10-16, 2011), as well as Ontario Coaches Week (April 9-17, 2011), I thought I would take the time to reflect on my volunteer experience.
This past weekend I was the recipient of the Doc Brauweiler Memorial Award for outstanding sports volunteer in my hometown of Welland. To have my name mentioned along with some of the award’s previous winners, many of whom have been my inspiration and friends, is truly an honour I will never forget.
One thing that I can certainly attest to is that volunteering is a life-changing experience. You may never fully realize the impact of your efforts, but one thing is certain, it will change your life, if not that of many others.
It’s not what you choose to do that makes a difference, it’s that you choose to do it that makes all the difference. In my case, I chose very simple tasks (playing music and announcing at games, or taking pictures) that while they do not affect the outcomes of the games, they make the experience more enjoyable for everyone. Anyone could do what I do, but because no one was, I stepped up to fill the void.
I would have been the last person anyone would have expected to do this, being painfully shy and not one who had any experience with a camera, and I had a limited music knowledge or interest when I started. I could have come up with every excuse not to do it, but I took a chance, one that I will never regret and the whole experience has transformed me. I quickly learned as I went, and before long I had enough confidence that I knew I had made the right decision.
You don’t always have to wait for the opportunity to present itself either. In my case, no one asked me to start announcing. I simply noticed no one else was, and I started doing it fully expecting someone to tell me to stop. They never did. Sure, there were a few complaints initially, as I learned the ropes and figured out what I was doing, but there was also a lot of positive feedback along the way to encourage me to continue.
So I would encourage you, yes YOU, to find something you can do to help others. You never know where it will take you, but you will enjoy the ride, that I promise you.
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