To mark National Volunteer Week (April 19 - 25), we’d like to take time to thank all the hard-working volunteers who help to carry out the Red Cross mission of helping vulnerable Canadians and individuals around the world.
As we face the COVID-19 pandemic, Red Cross volunteers have not faltered in stepping up to challenges and to adapting to rapidly changing circumstances so they can continue to meet the needs of Canadians from coast-to-coast. Volunteer opportunities now include working remotely or providing virtual support in order to respect physical distancing requirements. Although roles have changed, our volunteers have adjusted quickly and continue to support the people and communities impacted by this health emergency.
Without volunteers, none of our work would be possible. We want to thank and applaud all Red Cross volunteers for their dedication, hard work and compassion to helping others.
The Canadian Red Cross is always looking for volunteers. Volunteering is a great opportunity to enhance your skills while helping the most vulnerable in your community. Our volunteers come from all geographies, age groups, cultural communities and backgrounds. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, there are many ways you can get involved. Contact the Canadian Red Cross to identify opportunities in your community by visiting www.redcross.ca/volunteer or by calling 1-844-818-2155.
To show our appreciation for the work they do every day, we want to share a few profiles of our volunteers.
Colleen MacDonald is a communications volunteer within our London, Ontario team who helps with content creation and occasionally attends local Red Cross events. By day she is a communications and web production professional at St. Joseph’s Health Care in London. Colleen enjoys creating fun videos to share on our social channels. While the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the London communications team to work together, Colleen and other team members continue to work to create informative and entertaining content about Red Cross COVID-19 initiatives and programs to help individuals during these uncertain times.
“I was drawn to the Red Cross because its positive impact is felt across the world and right at home too.” Colleen enjoys volunteering for organizations that have the ability to elevate humanity above all else and put the best interests of humanity independent of religious, political or national interests, which she feels the Red Cross does very well. A fun fact about Colleen is that she worked as a donut baker at Tim Hortons in London where Tim Horton himself would bake.
Meet Martina Beuhler. She is originally from Chur, Switzerland but currently lives in Toronto and works as a Travel Sales Consultant. At the Red Cross Martina is a Communications Volunteer, as well as a Meals on Wheels Volunteer. During the COVID-19 pandemic she spends a lot of her time volunteering with Meals on Wheels and the Emergency Food Assistance Program which is a new partnership with the City of Toronto. While using personal protective equipment and following the rules of physical distancing, Martina is helping to deliver food baskets to those who are in self isolation and have no other options to access food pickup or delivery. A fun fact about Martina is that she performed at the Toronto Salsa Congress in 2019.
Mary Ann Dean is a retired teacher who was born in Brantford but now lives in Toronto. She is a Meals on Wheels volunteer in Toronto and helps deliver food to clients across the city. She became a volunteer after joining a women’s group and was first introduced to the Meals on Wheels program. She is grateful to have the opportunity to bring a hot meal, have a short conversation with clients and make sure they feel a part of a caring community. When asked about her most memorable moment with the Red Cross, Mary Ann says that everyday is a joy, each client is a gift in her life and it is a privilege to meet clients and hear their stories. A fun fact about Mary Ann is that she has visited all the continents except for Oceania.
Meet
Guy Lepage, originally from Ottawa, he now lives in Ajax and acts as a Personal Disaster Assistance Team Supervisor in Durham Region as well as an Emergency Response Team Supervisor. He works as a Senior Issues Analyst for the Cabinet Office of the Government of Ontario and is a former print and TV journalist.
In February, Guy was sent to CFB Trenton with the Red Cross team that worked in support of the Federal Government to repatriate Canadians arriving from Wuhan, China. While in Trenton, Guy safely delivered meals and other supplies to travellers and acted as a media spokesperson to share the work of the Red Cross to support the travellers. Guy loves the “warm and fuzzy” feeling he gets from helping others and is always looking forward to more.
Suzanne Leonard is a Meals on Wheels volunteer, both as a driver and meal runner for the City of Toronto. By day she works as a media and communications professional as well as a broadcast journalist bringing news and weather to listeners. She says, “It’s an honour to volunteer and make a small contribution to a humanitarian organization that does such powerful good in the world”. Suzanne has covered emergency and disaster situations frequently in her line of work and was always impressed by how quickly and effectively the Red Cross delivered aid to those in urgent need. She enjoys seeing the warm and wonderful smiles when she meets clients as she helps to deliver meals, especially during challenging times such as snowstorms.