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| Sgt. Gill is volunteering for a tag days fundraiser on behalf of 820 Chris Hadfield Squadron in Milton, Ontario |
VOLUNTEERING can be considered a personal preference or a must to get your 40 hours or more in order to graduate high school with an OSSD. I personally have over 1000 hours of volunteer service that I have given to my community. I have accomplished this by getting to know what I like to volunteer for / where my interests lie, how I have spread the word for others, and how volunteering can be much more than just the provincial goal of 40 hours.
I like to volunteer in places that involve youth and environmental awareness as this is also where my interests lie / where I like to volunteer. I volunteer at local parks to learn more about the environment as well as promote awareness about it. I can promote awareness of a local park by showing how to keep a garden free of invasive species or giving info out on events that go on around the park at the time as well. For example, I do just that at Willow Park Ecology Center (WPEC) located in Norval, Ontario. This park is maintained by the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and by local volunteers like me that are interested in the act of sustaining the environment.
As I have said before, I like to volunteer for projects that involve youth, too. I have founded my own club known as Peace Welcome Club (PWC) that provides newcomer youth with services such as volunteer opportunities for them to participate in. This year PWC is going to be participating in Change the World (CTW) by going MAD (Making a Difference). This is one of my major projects that the team here at PWC undertakes in order to give students in high school the opportunity to complete the 40 hours above and beyond expectations of doing a lot more than required to. I have spread the word thoroughly within PWC by giving updates and lots of events within CTW to help these fellow youth of mine to go MAD.
In my opinion, the whole point of volunteering is to get to know your community better, being an active as well as a helpful person and the experiences that you take back from volunteering. I have personally matured throughout my volunteering in the community and have been considered by many as a Good Samaritan for doing so. People start to recognize the efforts that you put for others in whatever type of volunteering you may be involved in such as recreation / parks. This is what you gain from it and how you truly benefit others around you that get inspired by your acts of volunteering.
So, get out there, do more than expected and I will assure you that you will achieve success in your high school life!
HARNOOR GILL
Grade 10 student
Christ The King Catholic Secondary
Georgetown, Ontario