The readers’ view from here
As I’ve previously stated, I love receiving feedback from readers, and this week, I want to share some of the responses I’ve had about recent columns. Readers often make salient points about the topic I’ve raised and they always bring new perspectives to the argument. And sometimes, they just want to let me know they’ve read my column and either agree or disagree with whatever I’ve written about.
Elizabeth from Mason’s Beach in Lunenburg County wrote in response to my column about the closing of the Queens County Advance, the community paper in Liverpool where I started my journalism career and worked for 13 years. She writes:
“It is so sad that all of the smaller newspapers are unable to carry on. As I was reading your article, I thought about something else that is lost when these papers no longer exist. I have recently cut out some interesting articles in our papers and sent them to friends who no longer live here. It is a nice way to pass along local news to friends and they always appreciate receiving them. They can keep them in their book of memories and look at them whenever they are lonesome for their hometown and their friends who live there. Not the same as storing something in the computer!
When I was going to BHS (Bridgewater High School) I was the editor of our newspaper and yearbook and at that time, we took the articles to the Bridgewater Bulletin and they printed them out on galleys, which we proofread before they printed the books. I can still see in my mind the people sitting at their busy machines and the excitement in the air as they were putting everything together. Paper day was always a day that everyone in town looked forward to with anticipation.
Thank you so much for your interesting articles, some of which I have passed along to friends who have moved away but still consider Nova Scotia to be their home.”
Steve from Bridgewater writes in response to my column on being grateful to all the volunteers who do so much to pull off the wonderful community events and festivals that are held throughout the region in the summer. He writes:
“I just finished reading your article in this week’s edition of the South Shore Breaker. I am one of those volunteers and I am very thankful to have the opportunity to volunteer for festivals and sporting events from Liverpool to Halifax. I have been volunteering full-time since 2008.
I am from Liverpool as well but have lived in the Bridgewater area since about 1995. I started work in 1980, and around 2008, I was getting ready for my third shoulder surgery. After my doctor recommended to my employer I should be put on a non-production post, the company decided they had no position for me, so, sent me home on LTD.
“Between 2008 and 2010, I had a very stressful period in my life not knowing if I would ever get another job anywhere, or what would happen in my work-life. At that time, I started volunteering for my first event, which I believe was the Canada Day committee in Bridgewater. Since that time, I have volunteered for many festivals and events and organizations.
I volunteered for the Canada Winter Games that were held in Halifax, beach volleyball tournaments, ECMAS, Halifax Jazz Festivals, World Senior Badminton Championship, Halifax Ice Jam Hockey in Bedford, Scotiabank Bluenose Marathon and others, plus the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, the World Sledge Hockey and the recent Esso Cup in Bridgewater. I have also volunteered as a driver for the Senior Wheels bus and presently at the (Canadian) Red Cross in Bridgewater.
I just wanted to explain that being a volunteer is very rewarding. To be able to feel helpful and useful and to meet many people from all over has been so fulfilling. To hear people say “thank you” for being a volunteer for these events has meant a lot to me. While I have met so many people who volunteer as well, there is one usual common thing with most of us. A lot of volunteers are people who have retired, or with a disability or someone who doesn’t work full-time, for one reason or another.
You’re probably wondering what that would have to do with volunteering, but there seems to be a trend with some events asking for volunteers to pay a fee to donate their time as a volunteer. If this fee was asked by every event or festival, it would be too expensive to donate your time, especially if you volunteered for many things like I have done since 2008.
I try to get involved with events in Liverpool, too, when possible, but the last event I wanted to volunteer was a curling event. I believe they wanted volunteers to pay a ridiculous fee of $100, which myself and most people who volunteer would not pay. There has been a few events in Halifax I’ve refused to volunteer for after I found out about a fee ranging from $25 to $100. One was a golf tournament and another was the (Canadian) Country Music Awards being held in city a few years ago. I don’t understand why this is being asked by some events. By asking for a volunteer to pay a fee, it must affect the number of people who will donate their time for these events.
I know there is nothing you can do about this, but, I just think more people should know about this unfair practice of asking people to pay a fee to donate their time. Many people I know said they would never volunteer for
anything that would ask that of a volunteer. This practice needs to stop, especially for people with limited income who feel like a better person by volunteering.
To give towards something and feel rewarded for giving their time. That is a great thing. I have passed on this issue to the Lunenburg Queens Volunteer Partnership who is now working on it, but it needs to be passed on about this unfair practice. Any event that asks this, is too many. We should still be thankful though that more events don’t ask this ridiculous fee. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”
Kate, who lives near Chester Basin, wrote in response to my column on a near accident I had at the Hebbville intersection on Highway 103 with a driver who was on his cellphone. She writes:
“Just read the paper this morning. Since you have some pull as a reliable source, I would think that you are in a position to insist that a camera be put at that location. Cameras are used to track and document deer and other wildlife, so why not these Neanderthals?
And finally, as a result to my recent thoughts about the need for me to acquire more patience, Sarah from Shelburne writes:
Mr. Oickle, we could all use a dose of patience. What a wonderful world it would be if we just took a deep breath and counted to three before exploding in anger or posting something negative on Facebook.”
Amen! Thank you to these readers and everyone else who writes to share their thoughts. I appreciate the feedback and as I’ve said, the exchange of your ideas furthers the discussions so keep those emails coming, and that’s the view from here. Vernon Oickle was born and raised in Liverpool where he continues to reside with his family. He has worked for more than 30 years in community newspapers on the South Shore and is the author of 28 books.