This page was exported from Shelburne Free Press [ https://shelburnefreepress.ca ] Export date:Tue Jul 23 19:22:54 2024 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: 7th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner --------------------------------------------------- Over 150 volunteers are involved in helping Dufferin Oaks and Dufferin County Community Support Services be the success they are in their collaborative efforts to care for the Shelburne community and surrounding area and our seniors. Although appreciation dinners have been held for many years, the two organizations have been working together the past seven years. Angie Matthews is Program and Support Services Manager at Dufferin Oaks and Kelly Welsh Burns is Client Services Coordinator for Dufferin County Community Support Services. Both women have dedicated themselves to their respective roles for the past 15 years. “Dufferin Oaks is home to 160 residents, and in 2013 volunteers logged an astounding 6,775 number of volunteer hours,” commented Matthews, “Volunteers are so important, I really can't see how we could ever run our programs without them.” Matthews explained, “Volunteers help out with friendly visiting, providing entertainment, pet therapy, working in the tuck shop, and assisting with the many different activity programs we offer. Just helping transport the residents from their rooms to the common area is a tremendous help. Going for short walks outside, and even visiting people whose family are far away makes a huge difference.” The expression goes, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Similarly another expression, “What goes around comes around” comes to mind. The kindness and selflessness the volunteers exhibit goes above and beyond the call of duty as they do their part, giving back. “Dufferin County Community Support Services has over 700 clients living in Dufferin County,” explained Dufferin County Community Support Services Coordinator Kelly Welsh Burns, “In total, volunteers contributed 13,600 hours in programs such as the Adult Day Program, friendly visiting, meals on wheels, and volunteer driving.” Volunteer Barb Oliver, having volunteered for the past year and half is considered the new kid on the block. Most who begin volunteering, never give it up and some have clocked twenty years of dedicated service. When asked why Oliver decided to take up volunteering, Oliver was quick to respond, “I'm a retired teller from Scotia Bank in Alliston and I wanted something to do. I have no regrets. It's wonderful! People I meet are great! I'm going to be there one day and I might need somebody to help me.” Well over 150 volunteers turned up to celebrate and mingle during the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and Oliver's sentiment was echoed amongst the now aging population of volunteers. Matthews mentioned as lifestyle becomes filled with technology, life seems too busy to find time to take a breath, let alone rest, and as a result volunteering is on an all time low for new, younger volunteers. If you would like to join the valiant volunteers who are so dearly needed and greatly appreciated, contact Angie Matthews at Dufferin Oaks at 519 925-2140 ext. 5242 and Kelly Welsh Burns at Dufferin County Community Support Services at 519 925-5452. By Alex Sher --------------------------------------------------- Images: --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2014-07-02 14:00:12 Post date GMT: 2014-07-02 18:00:12 Post modified date: 2014-07-10 08:23:55 Post modified date GMT: 2014-07-10 12:23:55 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.com