Giving time

Giving time
The email arrived. “Remember me? We met on the ferry last week? I’ve been looking at the website, and I’d love to volunteer… what do I do next?”

Indeed I did remember.
Travelling home on the ferry from Vancouver Island, we’d struck up conversation with one another, shared our stories. Her open and ready smile portrays her friendly and positive attitude. A ready laugh, an approachable manner. She has seen troubles, though. Although in her early 20s the cane she used was temporary, until the knee and hip replacement surgery. And the surgery was only a minimal inconvenience, since the cancer that was going to imminently take her life at age 16 was gone, had been for several years. The extensive organ damage from chemotherapy, a second threat, was also healed. She was happy with the temporary cane.

We met and toured Emergency Shelter and housing in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, chatting about what volunteer tasks she saw herself doing. “I’ll do whatever needs to be done. I like people.” Optimism and hope radiate from her. I want to place here where she’ll have contact with people.

She starts her volunteer role this week. And while the task she does is simple and important, the true gift she brings is a genuine friendliness and a positive attitude. She has strength and empathy from having faced death, and yet firmly embraced life.
She is a hero.

Making a difference

Making a Difference
We were there to meet people, to make connections, chat. Three hundred business professionals, each with glass in hand, choosing from the tasty canapés that circulated the crowd against a background of soft jazz.

A more different crowd couldn’t be imagined from those that we ended up speaking about, as discussion turned to practical and creative ways to help those who live in poverty, who live on the streets, homeless.

We all agree that giving money to specific and proven Programs helps. But we also agreed that sometimes actions and activities build a necessary energy and momentum around a solution, and that the energy attracts resolution.

Some of the actions that we shared:
o When hearing that clean water to drink was a need for people living on the street, Sharon immediately called water companies seeking donations. To date she has located hundreds and hundreds of cases of water, which is donated directly to those who have this simple and basic need.
o Vivienne and her husband host friends for a meal and conduct an informal fifty-fifty draw, with proceeds going to an organization that works with the homeless. No pressure… but usually the whole pot is donated by the winner.
o Employees volunteer together with an organization, sometimes painting walls, spring cleaning, and sometimes cooking.
o Friends conduct a carwash and donate the proceeds.
o Employees hold a clothing drive.

I reflected, as I left, about the caring hearts of these people. Of how sharing a problem can bring about a creative solution. Of how each one can take one perhaps small, but significant, action and how all together that adds to momentous change for the better. And I realized that people are willing to go beyond their comfort zone to change the world. Sometimes they just need to be shown how.