Page 6 - LBMAO - Reporter - Sept-Oct - web optimized

Message from the CHAIR

the importance of being a volunteer

KEN FORBES learned the importance of volunteering at a young involved with all kinds of committees, community
Orillia Trim & Door Ltd, I age, as a way of giving back to the community. groups and boards.
Volunteering has become a big part of my life. I
Severn, ON As a youth, I was a cub and a scout with Scouts
Canada. Over the years, I came to realize that most have made a lot of good friends, many who I wouldn’t
of the adults, leaders and administration people have met without getting involved fully in many
were all volunteers - That included my dad. Because organizations over the years. My association with
of his job, he couldn’t commit to be a Cub or Scout the LBMAO has been, and continues to be, very close
leader, so he worked to help organize camps, trips to my heart and has provided me with the chance to
and those dreaded fund raisers. These jobs - each as meet many good people I now call friends.
important as the other - helped to support the day-to- Over the past seven years, I’ve turned down many
day operation of the group. I thought that every cub’s requests from different organizations to help out as
mom and dad helped out; imagine how great that a volunteer so I could devote my time to providing
would have been. support for my mom and dad in their twilight years;
"...the expression I think the first time I realized that an honour I am glad I was able to provide. Back in
not all the parents helped was during January, after mom passed, I planned on stepping
"10% of the our annual bottle drive (that was back back to have some “me time”. It wasn’t long before I
people do 90% when there was a deposit on almost all felt that something was missing; and I realized that
glass bottles). It was early on a Saturday (for me) volunteering is a big part of “me time”.
of the work"... morning in late October. On a cold and Statistics say that 13.3 million people are involved
has resonated drizzly day, myself and three of my in volunteerism across Canada. While that represents
buddies climbed into my dad’s car and one-third of the population, in reality the actual
throughout my we headed out to the first street. Dad numbers are much lower, as most volunteers serve
years of being would drive slowly down the block while more than one organization, thus the saying “10%
two of us would go door-to-door down of the people do 90% of the work”. It is a well-known
involved with each side of the street, picking up the fact that without volunteers, our Canadian way of life
all kinds of bottles and bringing them back to the would be quite different and things like our medical
open trunk. We made many trips back to system would grind to a halt. As an employer, I have
committees, the meeting hall to unload; then back to always encouraged my staff to get involved and
community gather more bottles. have supported them with advice and sponsorships
I think it was mid afternoon when whenever possible. As our population continues
groups and a car pulled up and one of the dads, to age, the need for more and more volunteers will
looking pretty angry, approached my continue to grow.
boards." dad and started yelling at him about If you are part of the 10%, thank you from the
keeping his son out for so long on a bottom of my heart; if you are part of the 90%, please
nasty day. He also complained he was missing a give serious consideration to switching teams. The
football game on TV in order to pick up his son. Dad reward of serving in any form will pay great dividends
didn’t get flustered, he simply turned to the man in your personal well being, while making a positive
and told him if he would get off his ass and come impact on others.
out to help, we could all be warm at home, watching In closing, I just joined a team that is organizing
the game. The man didn’t have a response, he just the fundraising and build for a much-needed new
grabbed his kid by the hand and left. men’s, women’s and family shelter in Orillia. It feels
I can’t remember the first time I heard the great to be back!
expression “10% of the people do 90% of the work”, See you all at the LBMAO’s 100th Anniversary Gala
but it has resonated throughout my years of being on November 16th.

6 LBMAO Reporter - September-October 2017 www.lbmao.on.ca