By Kelly Taylor
Canadians volunteer so they can make a positive contribution to their community. Everyone wants to live in places where volunteers are involved helping others, beautifying the community, making life easier or better for those around them, and generally, spreading kindness and joy to others. In every community, there is a rich variety of ways that people of all ages can volunteer and, in doing so, be a part of positive change and help others.
Canadians volunteer so they can make a positive contribution to their community. Everyone wants to live in places where volunteers are involved helping others, beautifying the community, making life easier or better for those around them, and generally, spreading kindness and joy to others. In every community, there is a rich variety of ways that people of all ages can volunteer and, in doing so, be a part of positive change and help others.
In addition to improving the environment around them, volunteers also benefit from improved mental health, increased social connections and a more positive outlook on life. There is great satisfaction to be had in seeing how your own actions, no matter how big or small, improve the lives of others or bring a smile to someone’s face.
Urban/Rural Rides provides opportunities for volunteers to have a positive impact in our local communities. When volunteer drivers transport clients, the impact is sometimes obvious and a matter of life and death, such as driving clients to dialysis or chemotherapy. Other times the impact becomes apparent over time, such as assisting seniors to remain in their homes and be independent longer, or helping people access job training or counselling to give them the extra guidance they need. A listening ear, a small act of kindness, and treating clients with dignity and respect can mean the world to people who are isolated from social connections or wrestling with financial or health issues.
Urban/Rural Rides offers volunteers the ability to provide tangible benefits to their neighbours by providing transportation to and from medical appointments, grocery shopping/food banks, accessing other essential life needs, education/work training and recreation. Drivers are reimbursed $0.41/km for using their own vehicle.
Volunteers also provide intangible benefits to their neighbours by providing a social connection by letting clients know that they are valuable to the community. The drivers can brighten their day with kindness. Drivers experience intangible benefits as well, including a sense of satisfaction for making a positive contribution to the world around them. They may feel a sense of purpose, of belonging to a worthy cause and of connection with others in their community. They sometimes even develop new friendships.
If you can volunteer a few hours or more a month and want to be part of a team on a mission to help others get where they need to go, please call 215-2100 or email [email protected] for more information. Drivers need to be over the age of 21, have a reliable automobile, carry $2-million liability insurance (we will reimburse the extra charge up to $80 per year), sign an oath of confidentiality and clear a police record check.
Kelly Taylor is the manager of Urban/Rural Rides.
Urban/Rural Rides provides opportunities for volunteers to have a positive impact in our local communities. When volunteer drivers transport clients, the impact is sometimes obvious and a matter of life and death, such as driving clients to dialysis or chemotherapy. Other times the impact becomes apparent over time, such as assisting seniors to remain in their homes and be independent longer, or helping people access job training or counselling to give them the extra guidance they need. A listening ear, a small act of kindness, and treating clients with dignity and respect can mean the world to people who are isolated from social connections or wrestling with financial or health issues.
Urban/Rural Rides offers volunteers the ability to provide tangible benefits to their neighbours by providing transportation to and from medical appointments, grocery shopping/food banks, accessing other essential life needs, education/work training and recreation. Drivers are reimbursed $0.41/km for using their own vehicle.
Volunteers also provide intangible benefits to their neighbours by providing a social connection by letting clients know that they are valuable to the community. The drivers can brighten their day with kindness. Drivers experience intangible benefits as well, including a sense of satisfaction for making a positive contribution to the world around them. They may feel a sense of purpose, of belonging to a worthy cause and of connection with others in their community. They sometimes even develop new friendships.
If you can volunteer a few hours or more a month and want to be part of a team on a mission to help others get where they need to go, please call 215-2100 or email [email protected] for more information. Drivers need to be over the age of 21, have a reliable automobile, carry $2-million liability insurance (we will reimburse the extra charge up to $80 per year), sign an oath of confidentiality and clear a police record check.
Kelly Taylor is the manager of Urban/Rural Rides.
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