Bringing community projects to life
April 5, 2004
By Cam Tait
CAMPBELL RIVER, BC // If you've walked into the Volunteer Campbell
River office in the past four years, chances are you've seen a very
familiar face - the face of Gerry Cochrane.
Her volunteer career goes back to when she first helped her elementary
school teacher. Now, many years later, she's sharing time as a volunteer
advisor with Volunteer Campbell River. She's also an ESL tutor and has
been Deputy Division Commissioner and Trainer of Girl Guides of Canada.
"I have learned about different agencies that are available in the community," Gerry says. "I have also learned about different agencies that require volunteers and
how much volunteers are appreciated."
Through her involvement, Gerry has seen that people "like to be needed."
Seeing that need makes the task of placing someone with a compatible
agency easier. "At the volunteer centre we can usually place a client
and make them satisfied," Gerry says, adding that when you live in a
small community, people have to pitch in if they want projects to come
alive. "All activities need support to activate them."
More people are coming forward to volunteer, Gerry says, because it may be a stepping stone in other areas of their lives and is good to have on a resume. And Gerry's motivation? "The socialization that occurs within each of my volunteer positions."
Do you know of someone who deserves to be in Charity Village's Spotlight?
Send us their name, telephone number and details about their community involvement
to cam@charityvillage.com.
