An unforgettable two months with Youth Central: Part 2

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog about my volunteering experience with Youth Central in July. Here is a list of volunteering projects that I did in August, and I think this is probably the best month to volunteer if you had to pick between the two months of summer. Some of the highlights in the month of August are volunteering at 10 different festivals and three different day camps. They involved a lot of work, but with the help of other volunteers, team leaders and volunteer coordinators, everything went smoothly and successfully. I cannot thank them enough, because they truly helped me to be where I am today.

Out of the 31 days in August, I managed to volunteer for 25 of them, and I believe I could have done more if time permitted. Some people have asked me why I volunteered so much during these two months, and to answer that question I had to think some things through. I believe that if there’s time, that time must go towards helping the community. I believed that this had to be the case back six months ago when I really started volunteering with Youth Central. The opportunities are endless, and by giving up some of your time, you can really make a difference. I failed to realize that in the past, and I regret that I wasn’t involved with Youth Central earlier. I had always heard of phenomenal individuals who gave up their time to do something great in the community, and yet I could not put myself out there. I believed I couldn’t contribute as well as others would do. I remember signing up for my very first project with the Child and Youth Friendly Calgary (now Youth Central) back when I was in junior high. I loved soccer, so I signed up to volunteer at a kids soccer tournament. I remember cancelling the projet later on, because I had all these unnecessary phobias that prevented me from going. I was afraid that I wasn’t going to be of any help, and what people would think of me. Transportation was also the major cause of concern. I did not know how to get to the place, and I did not want to ask my parents because I thought it would be a burden. Volunteering with the city was incredibly hard for me back then because I was such a shy individual (which I still am). I only volunteered with the school because it was a requirement. I had to get a certain number of hours to pass successfully, and after I got a certain number of hours I hesistated to volunteer again. It really pains me to think what I was doing for all these years because now I know volunteering is more than that. Volunteering has no limits, and there should not be a “requirement” of the number of hours that you must do.

Fast forward several years and here I am, armed with a transit pass (since I don’t have a car, sigh), not afraid to put myself out there and finally able to show what I can do as an individual.  I feel the need to experience everything that Calgary has to offer, and through volunteering with Youth Central I am able to achieve that.  I am lucky to volunteer for such a great organization that gives such great opportunities for youth, and even though I regret for not starting earlier, I am extremely overjoyed that I am able to volunteer right now with such incredible volunteers and team leaders.

August 2011

Aug 1- Heritage Day Festival

-Great weather made this event a huge success, as people enjoyed the holiday in Prince’s Island Park. Volunteers helped out with the Lost and Found/ First Aid tents, supervising bounce houses, and keeping control of traffic. I had enough Vitamin D by the end of the day.

Aug 5- Dragon Boat Festival

-The annual Dragon Boat Festival went underway in the Calgary Canoeing Club, and volunteers were asked to set up for the event. We moved a lot of chairs and tables on that day, and by the end of the project we were very satisfied of how quickly we got things done.

Aug 6- Brentwood Garden Party

-I did not know this event existed, even though it was situated right behind my high school, Sir Winston Churchill. I found out that this was a very unique festival, as people made garden hats and distributed plant seeds. There was also a live performance, making the day fun-filled for everyone.

Aug 7- Marda Gras

-Again, I did not know this festival existed until I volunteered on this day. This turned out to be quite a gem of a festival, as tons of people packed the Marda Loop and celebrated the festival that originally began in New Orleans. Volunteers were asked to help out with the traffic control, as well as helping to clean up.

Aug 12- Carewest George Boyack Carnival

-This was a great day for everyone as seniors participated in a series of carnival games, and awarded with a prize. Volunteers were treated to a delicious BBQ lunch as well as ice cream. Seeing smiles on seniors’ faces was probably the best thing about this project.

Aug 13- Afrikadey

-Afrikadey festival, celebrating the African culture and music, was a great success with the aid of good weather. Volunteers helped with tickets and handing out pamphlets.

Aug 20- Hootenanny at Heritage Park (morning) / Reggaefest (afternoon)

-Hootenanny at Heritage Park gives visitors a chance to participate in old-fashioned games and theater. Volunteers helped out with the corn maze as well as other games, making the guests’ experience more enjoyable.

-Reggaefest unfolded at Shaw Millenium Park, with lively music playing all over the festival grounds and children having a good time. Volunteers helped out with the crafts area as well as supervising bounce houses.

Aug 21- Bow River Flow Festival

-The Bow River Flow Festival, a festival about the importance of human transportation (walking, running, biking, etc.), was a fun-filled day with excellent weather. Volunteers helped out in different areas, such as helping to paint a mandala, supervising the kids’ section and helping out with the mini bike race.

Aug 27- Kids Soccer Tournament

-The Kids Soccer Tournament sponsored by Right to Play began in the fields in the community of Discovery Ridge, and kids were awarded with a chocolate medal as well as numerous other memorabilia to celebrate their achievement. Volunteers helped out by keeping track of the scores and running the games.

Aug 28- Women’s run (morning) / Expo Latino (afternoon)

-The women’s run went on near Shouldice Park, with women from all over Calgary to compete in one of the oldest women’s race in Canada. Volunteers assisted with distributing water and snacks to the runners.

-Expo Latino, a festival to celebrate Latin heritage, went underway in Prince’s Island Park
with everyone in a festive mood. Volunteers helped out with face painting and supervising bounce houses.

Aug 30- Staples For Education

-Toward the end of the summer, I volunteered at Staples for Education to help out with filling hundreds of backpacks with school supplies. It was a great experience, to help out fellow students who want to learn, but don’t have enough money to buy proper school supplies. Volunteers put in a great effort in filling all the backpacks with remarkable efficiency.

Aug 31- Carnival Games in Carewest Sarcee

-The day before school started, I volunteered at the Carewest Sarcee retirement home to help out with the carnival games for seniors. The seniors greatly apprecitated our help, and the volunteers definitely appreciated their company.

Volunteer projects that I did more than once:

-Between Friends Camp (2 weeks)

-Spruce Cliffee Interagency Project (4 weeks)

-Camp Pet-a-bow-wow at the Calgary Humane Society (2 weeks)

-Drop-In Centre (7 times)