Family and Community Support Services’ A-Team honouring those who contribute

It’s always nice to be appreciated for your efforts.

Volunteers throughout southern Alberta give countless hours of their time throughout any given year, without a thought or need of recognition or rewards.

But every once in a while, a little token of gratitude is nice.

With that in mind, Family and Community Support Services’ A-Team (Appreciation Team) sought a way, and National Volunteer Week was the perfect time, to show some love to those who give so much of themselves.

The A-Team, FCSS’s Outreach Services staff, set to work to identify community groups that utilize volunteers and asked them to nominate those who go above and beyond each year. Those volunteers received a package of appreciation from FCSS.

“With all of the names that were submitted and all the people received appreciation gifts, there will be 308 volunteers receiving a token of appreciation,” said Cindy Lauwen, FCSS Volunteer Services Co-ordinator.

Gifts of appreciation were handed out last Tuesday in Taber, which included stops at the foodbank, the Taber Hospital Foundation and the Victory Church, along with a host of packages handed out to individuals.

“All of the volunteers that received a little visit and the appreciation packages were so appreciative, and most of them expressed how happy they were to be just recognized for their volunteer time and contributions to the community,” said Lauwen. “It was a really good day, with lots of fun and lots of warm fuzzies.”

Volunteers in Taber, Coaldale, Vauxhall, Stirling, Milk River, Raymond, Coalhurst and Picture Butte were visited by FCSS staff.

“It was just nice being in the community and being able to see some of the volunteers we haven’t seen,” said Renee White, FCSS Senior Services Co-ordinator. “Just to see them, have a chance to say thank you. They were really happy to receive something, because they’re not expecting anything for their efforts, so it was really nice just to say, ‘hey, we miss you and we appreciate you.’”

Volunteers assist FCSS with the community volunteer income tax program, by delivering Meals on Wheels to seniors and isolated people and when it’s permitted, by providing help in some parenting and family programs. That’s just to name a few ways volunteers contribute to FCSS.

“We have volunteers also in the community that have come in and done presentations for seniors, so that has been awesome too,” said Lauwen.

In fact, volunteers are also central to many of the services youth, seniors and other vulnerable populations rely on.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to play a role in showing volunteers how much those contributions mean to their communities,” said Jamie Lewis, FCSS Youth Inclusion Project Co-ordinator.

Amanda Lawrence, FCSS Youth Services Co-ordinator, added she finds individuals’ willingness to give an inspiration.

“It is pretty awesome to be able to recognize the hard work and dedication of volunteers, and even more impressive in the rural areas of southern Alberta,” said Lawrence. “Volunteers are important to communities so they can ensure that much-needed programs can continue.”

For Kaitlynn Weaver, FCSS Outreach Services Supervisor, being able to thank volunteers across the 16 municipalities FCSS serves has been a great experience.

“During such a difficult year for so many, it’s so rewarding to celebrate those who have made such an impact in our communities,” she said. “Over 300 volunteers were nominated to receive appreciation packages, but there are so many more that we would like to thank. So, to anyone that’s reading this, thank you, we applaud your generosity.”

Many organizations simply could not function without the work of volunteers.

“A lot of communities, their towns are pretty much run by volunteer work, and so volunteers are a huge, important part of our lives,” said White.

Shannon Rawluk, FCSS DO Crew Coordinator, added volunteers are the glue that keeps communities together.

“In rural areas, it is not uncommon to see the same individuals helping out with a variety of projects and dedicating their time throughout the year to improve the lives of others,” said Rawluk. “Sometimes, it’s easy to take the services volunteers provide for granted, but it is true that nothing in our lives would be the same if it were not for these committed individuals. Local sports teams, service organizations and community events depend on volunteers to operate, and we hope that the appreciation packages that were dropped off by the A-Team not only showed our thanks to nominees, but also confirmed that their efforts are noticed and appreciated by others in their communities.”

And while the show of appreciation is nice, Lauwen added many volunteers simply want to go out in their respective communities and make a difference again, once the pandemic subsides.

“I think they’re excited to get back and be helping out where they can again,” said Lauwen. “They enjoy it and they find it rewarding and so lots of them that we talked to were anxious and excited to get back to some of the in-person things they do when they volunteer.”

Funding the FCSS National Volunteer Week initiative was provided by the Government of Alberta and distributed by Volunteer Alberta.