WOS Volunteer Development Newsletters

This Issue: March, 2009

National Volunteer Week

National Volunteer Week is a special time set aside in April each year to honour and recognize Canadians who donate their time and energy to their communities.

History of National Volunteer Week

National Volunteer Week began in 1943 as a volunteer recruitment effort to enlist women for wartime voluntary service. The concept of a week devoted to volunteers was revived during the late 1960s. Now every year more than 80,000 registered charities and 100,000 not-for-profit organizations across Canada pause to thank and recognize their volunteers.

National Volunteer Week
2009: April 19-25
2010: April 18-24

For more information and ideas on National Volunteer Week, check out Volunteer Canada's website.

National Volunteer Week 2009

April 19-25, 2009 - In anticipation of National Volunteer Week 2009, Volunteer Canada is inviting individuals and organizations to submit photos and videos of their volunteers as part of the campaign's new National Volunteer Week website.

The National Volunteer Week website currently features hundreds of photos and videos submitted by individuals and organizations from across the country. Users can browse through them by typing in keywords on what volunteerism means to them. "National Volunteer Week pays tribute to the 12 million Canadians who donate their time and energy to better the lives of others," said Ruth MacKenzie, president of Volunteer Canada.

"During times of economic uncertainty, we must not forget the role of Canada's volunteers and volunteer-involving organizations, and we hope that the new website will be one of many ways that Canadians will a part of this nationwide celebration of volunteerism."

National Volunteer Week was first proclaimed in 1943 as an initiative to draw the public's attention to the vital contribution of women to the war effort on the home front. In the late 1960s, the focus was revived and broadened to include all community volunteers.

With the support of Investors Group, Volunteer Canada is proud to be leading the celebrations once again. National Volunteer Week is April 19-25, 2009.

Volunteer Canada is the national voice for volunteerism in Canada. Since 1977, the organization has been committed to increasing and supporting volunteerism and civic participation through ongoing programs, special projects and national initiatives, by developing resources and by engaging in research and training across the country. Working with volunteer centres, community and national organizations and businesses, Volunteer Canada actively leads national dialogues on how volunteerism is related to citizen engagement and civil society and provides leadership on issues and trends in the Canadian volunteer movement.

For further information: Jung-Suk Ryu, Manager of Communications, Volunteer Canada, (613) 231-4371 ext. 226, Cell: (613) 266-9427, jryu@volunteer.ca

Yours in skating,
Karen Edwards, WO Director, Volunteer Development