Hope for the future
Students volunteers making a difference.
Every time I read a story about students volunteering to make their community a better place, it just gives me such hope for the future.
Just to name a few off the top of my head ... during the colder months, a young girl stapled mitts, hats and scarfs to utility poles to help keep people warm, all the students who help the local food banks throughout the year and the youth council members of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality who are committed to enriching our communities.
Statistics have noted that 19 years ago, Canadian children were among the least likely to volunteer in their community. Today, students have shown that they are the most likely to volunteer. So good to realize that within a generation there has been a complete turnaround. That's really good news for all of us.
Our students now are more interested in social change and they are not just willing to sit around and wait for it to happen.
When students volunteer, they are not only helping their local communities; there are also benefits for the students themselves.
Experts report that when a person focuses on someone other than themselves, it reduces tension-producing patterns in the body. Moods like happiness, optimism and joy strengthen the body's immune system.
Being a volunteer is a great preparation for a future career and looks really good on a resume. Students get to learn about the world of work and build work-related values.
Volunteering provides an opportunity to work together with people of all ages. They get out of their comfort zone of hanging out with their peer group.
Volunteering is a social activity. Human beings are basically social creatures and we need that personal contact with other people.
During the past few years, I have had regular contact with two young men who volunteer at the Royal Canadian Legion branch 55 in Port Morien.
Mitchell MacKinnon and Ryan Thomas are Grade 11 students at Glace Bay High.
Mitchell MacKinnon is a neighbour of mine in Homeville. For the readers who frequent the monthly country market, he is the young man in charge of the book area. He is always available when the legion needs an extra pair of hands.
During the summer, MacKinnon attends a leadership camp called Catapult. I cannot say enough about all the leadership camps that are available to our young people. The skills developed in these camps can change a young person forever.
MacKinnon also helps out in his community by collecting money for the Canadian Cancer Society. For hobbies, Mitchell plays guitar and piano.
After high school, MacKinnon plans to attend Cape Breton University and major in biology, then go on to Dalhousie University. His end goal is to become a cardiologist.
Ryan Thomas is another young volunteer at branch 55 legion who can be counted on to do whatever is asked of him.
He lives in Bridgeport. Thomas is in charge of the stairlift that gives people with mobility issues the opportunity to go downstairs at the legion to look at the flea market items.
The legion also offers a breakfast as a regular fundraiser and Thomas is quite eager to fill in wherever he is needed, whether it is serving muffins and juice or cleaning up the kitchen.
Every year, the legion sponsors a New Year's Day Polar Dip to raise money for the cancer centre and the legion. This past year, Thomas raised the second highest amount of money for this good cause.
Mitchell and Ryan ... Keep up the good work!