View from the Cheap Seats is kind of an extension of the newsroom. Whenever our three regular reporters, Calvin Daniels, Thom Barker and Randy Brenzen are in the building together, it is frequently a site of heated debate. This week:
Get involved
Society has been built by volunteerism. Sure, major infrastructure has been the arena of government, but even that is volunteerism in a way. After all, for the most part we voluntarily pay our taxes for the greater good.
Still, even with taxpayer and government involvement, most things do not get done without volunteers.
Some great recent examples in Yorkton are the off-leash dog park, the Weinmaster wheelchair accessible playground and the skate park. These are great new amenities to our city that wouldn’t exist without volunteers.
We also would not have had that great Grand Slam of Curling event in December.
When you really think about it, it is almost less of an option and more of a duty as a member of society to do something for the greater good.
That’s how my grandparents’ generation viewed it. Back in the day, everybody pitched in, that was just the way it was.
That has fallen off, but still about half of Canadians do volunteer work of some kind collectively contributing two billion hours every year. Imagine if we didn’t. It truly is a necessity in keeping our society moving forward for people to pitch in.
The biggest factor influencing whether people do volunteer is time, which, in turn, is heavily influenced by life stage. I can relate to that. When I was younger, I did a lot of volunteering. That waned a bit during my middle years, which tend to be a very busy and self-centred time for people. Now that I’m a bit older, I am back to doing quite a bit.
Opportunities to volunteer are everywhere you look. Get to it.
—Thom Barker
Builds community
Volunteers are very much the lifeblood of a community.
In a city like ours there are community clubs such as the Kinsmen, Lions, Elks, and others which have supported a wide range of good projects through the years. They are the organizations we turn too when hockey teams need new uniforms, when the hospital needs some equipment not covered by government funding, and a hundred other instances of community need.
And then more volunteers are involved in coaching the teams which get the new uniforms in a wide range of sports which help keep our youth active. They are the leaders for Girl Guides, Scouts, the various cadet corps, art and performance groups and dozens of other things we take for granted but all help make your community what it is.
In the past volunteerism seemed like something everyone did. I recall hauling cement in wheelbarrows the morning after my Grade 12 grad party to help build a new barn for the Connaught Fair. It was something I did willingly, even on a couple of hours of sleep, because I had been a director on the Agricultural Society for years.
When my son joined Cubs, I donned the uniform as one of the leaders.
Helping make our community better by giving of our time is something I believe we all should do. Find something which interests you, and become involved.
My view may no longer be the norm it once was though.
Today, it seems to be more a case of people focused on their own little piece of the world, and in being so focused they are less interested in doing things gratis for the greater good of the community.
But the community need for volunteers is every bit as important today as ever, and I believe we all need to set aside a few hours of our time, a bit of sweat, and our leadership all going toward making Yorkton a better place for each and every resident.
— Calvin Daniels
Great local record
As a sports reporter I find myself dealing with volunteers more than the average person probably would.
And as a sports reporter who deals with volunteers on a near day-to-day basis, I can safely say that they are the men and women that I honestly have a ton of respect for.
Think about it. They take the time out of their day to simply help someone. Whether it is by selling 50/50, public address announcing, chaperoning sports trips, etc., these volunteers do a lot of sometimes demanding (mentally, occasionally physically) work.
And they do it all for free.
I’m not saying that people only volunteer for sports. That would be ridiculous and asinine. I’m very well aware that there are people out there volunteering for far more dangerous or important things.
But while they might be more important, there really is just one thing that would instantly crumple to the ground if it did not have anyone volunteering their time and effort.
The very first thing that would crumple to the ground, the thing at the top of the list, would definitely be minor sports.
It’s built on volunteers. Plain and simple.
Luckily Yorkton has some of the greatest volunteers past, present and possibly future.
And at the top of that list? Darren Kastrukoff.
—Randy Brenzen
