Visually Impaired Woman Volunteers For Organization That Saved Her Life

The dedication of volunteers from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind empowered Pat Gates to reclaim her life, and inspired her to devote her time to others struggling to adjust to their vision loss.

“CNIB saved my life,” Gates said. “I’ve got my positive attitude back; I’m a lot more independent. I don’t need people to do things for me anymore. I’ve learned to do things for myself, just in a different way than I used to do.”

Gates, 57, of Halifax was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of eight. Nearly 30 years ago, she developed diabetic retinopathy and lost the vision in her left eye. Things got worse when Gates was diagnosed with glaucoma in her right eye, another complication from her diabetes.  It left her legally blind.

She had to go on long-term disability leave from her job at Dalhousie University. She could no longer do the things she loved.  Gates no longer left the house by herself because she was afraid of falling. An avid reader, she was only able to read for short periods of time.

“Following the diagnosis, my life took a complete turnaround. I lost practically everything I knew,” Gates said. “For 10 years, I lived in isolation. My whole life changed. I lost my social contacts. I became a very negative person.”

Two years ago, Gates was determined to reclaim her life. “I decided something needed to change. I wasn’t living my life – I didn’t have a life. I had lost what I considered to be myself.”

With that realization, Gates phoned CNIB.

Reclaiming her life

She went through an eight-week vision loss adjustment program, which helps people cope with their vision loss. With the assistance of CNIB volunteers, Gates learned to adapt to her vision loss, shed her negativity, and regained her independence.

Gates was so grateful for the help she received from CNIB volunteers that she decided to become a volunteer herself. She speaks with people about their experiences and listens to their frustrations. Gates also volunteers at a CNIB booth at an eye centre. There, she talks to people about the services offered by CNIB. On top of that, she does public outreach and speaking engagements.

“Pat’s story is a perfect example of the impact of volunteers,” said Anne Perigo, Volunteer Canada board member and Director of Volunteerism and the Non-Profit Sector for the Department of Labour and Advanced Education of Nova Scotia.”The contribution of volunteers can go unnoticed, but the fact is
they’re creating positive change and strengthening our communities. That’s why we celebrate National Volunteer Week, to thank volunteers for their great contributions and caring.”

For Gates, it’s a small contribution to give to the organization that helped her rebuild her life.

“Volunteering keeps me active mentally and emotionally. I don’t think there’s any reason for people to lose as long a period of their lives as I did, because I had no support. I’m giving back and helping people, and it gives me a purpose in my life. I’m doing a little bit for the organization that gave me my life back.”

Former Inmates Give Back and Gain Bright Future

Volunteers lead impactful positive change – even in prison. Denise of Saint John knows this first hand. She benefitted from the services of the Elizabeth Fry Society while she was incarcerated in a provincial prison for involuntary manslaughter more than 10 years ago.

The support she received from volunteers there motivated her to turn her life around. She returned the favour through her own volunteer work with the same organization when she was released from jail. Now she spends an average of 60 hours each week helping women in the criminal justice system.

These days Denise liaises with duty counsel and lawyers. She encourages women with substance abuse problems to enrol in counselling or rehabilitation services. At the same time, Denise deals one-on-one with women serving time, both at the provincial jail in Saint John and the federal penitentiary in Truro, NS.

“I saw the help they gave to me while I was in jail and I decided I’m going to help if I can,” said Denise. “If I can help one woman not go back to jail, I’ve done my job.”

One of these women is Danielle.

Paying it forward

Danielle was sentenced to 26 months in Nova Institution for Women, a federal penitentiary in Truro.

“I had no one to bring my son to visit me,” said Danielle. “I couldn’t phone the foster home to have him hear my voice on the phone…the only way he heard me was through the Read Aloud program,” which is delivered through the Elizabeth Fry Society.

As part of this program, volunteers bring children’s books into prisons, and allow women to record themselves reading the books on cassette. The tapes are then brought to the children, who can have a relationship with their mother through the recorded readings.

“Volunteers like Denise make a real impact in the lives of the citizens of Saint John,” said Eileen Mclaughlin, Executive Director of the Saint John Volunteer Centre. “They provide front-line services in our community. Volunteerism is alive and well in Saint John, and it’s important to take time to recognize the contributions of our many volunteers during National Volunteer Week.”

Volunteering has also allowed Denise to reintegrate into society.

“There are 12.5 million volunteers in Canada contributing more than two billion hours every year,” said Ruth MacKenzie, President & CEO of Volunteer Canada. “Denise and Danielle are shining examples of how volunteering can reinforce and establish values about giving back and minimize the chance that these women will be marginalized in society.”

Danielle’s post-prison life is looking up.  She has regained custody of her son and she is now a fulltime employee of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John, working as an office administrator. She says the work of volunteers helped her get her life on track.

MacKenzie offers a suggestion to thank volunteers for their valuable contributions. “Telling volunteers how their contributions are making a positive impact is one of the best ways to thank them.”

New Canadian Aspires to Achieve Volunteering First

Zuyi Jiang recently immigrated to Canada and volunteers are inspiring her to expand her list of goals: Jiang wants to be the first learner at Frontier College to become a tutor with the same organization.

Jiang immigrated to Scarborough from China in 2008. One year later a friend introduced her to the Families Learning Together program at Frontier College, a national, volunteer-based literacy organization. Jiang signed up for the one-on-one tutorial sessions to practice her English and learn the subtleties of Canadian culture.

In early 2011, Jiang paired with Claudia Frangolho, a volunteer at Frontier College who tutors new immigrants. It’s a program close to her heart. Frangolho’s parents are immigrants. They left their home in Angola to settle in Canada. Her parents came to Canada not knowing a word of English, and growing up, Frangolho often had to read and translate documents for them.

“The effect of individual volunteer activities may seem small but it is significant,” said Deborah Gardner, Executive Director of Volunteer Toronto. “Volunteers impact the community every hour, every day in ways that are often invisible.

“It’s through the commitment of volunteers that we feel a sense of community, connectedness, and well-being. It is important to celebrate volunteers and make visible their valuable contributions to our lives and our communities.”

Cultural adjustment

Jiang says Frangolho and the Frontier College program have helped her adjust to life in Canada. Adjusting to the Canadian culture has been very important to Jiang, and Frangolho’s tutoring has helped her learn about Canadian society.

For instance, Jiang was at first unsure how to use emergency services in Canada. From her tutor, she learned under what circumstances it’s appropriate to dial 911 if a problem arises.

According to Jiang, the Frontier College literacy program is very helpful for immigrants who wish to learn English and meet people from different backgrounds. Before joining Frontier College, most of Jiang’s social contacts were other Chinese immigrants. But through Frontier College, she’s had the opportunity to meet people in her neighbourhood from a variety of backgrounds.

“There are 12.5 million volunteers in Canada contributing more than two billion hours every year,” said Ruth MacKenzie, President & CEO of Volunteer Canada. “The work of volunteers like Claudia Frangolho is essential to our communities as well as to our social fabric and telling them how their contributions are making a positive impact is one of the best ways to thank them.”

Jiang is so appreciative of Frontier College and its tutors, she wants to give back. When she feels her English is strong enough, she wants to make the transition from learner to volunteer tutor.

“I’d like to be the first person that plays both the learner’s role and the tutor’s role in this program,” said Jiang.

Jiang isn’t the only one who feels she benefits from the program. For Frangolho, volunteering offers her a brief escape from her regular sales job. Frangolho once dreamed of being a teacher, and her role as a tutor allows her to use her teaching skills.

“It’s nice that for a few hours each week, I get to go and do something that was a dream of mine,” said Frangolho. “I wanted to be a teacher, and that didn’t happen for me, but in a small way now, I get to have a taste of that life every week.”

Bucket List Creates Bond Between Volunteer and Young Cancer Victim

Tara and Jonathan Brown of Calgary first noticed something was amiss with their son, Alexander, when he came down with H1N1 flu on his second birthday. He experienced hand tremors, had trouble walking properly, and his head tilted slightly to one side.

A CT scan revealed a tumour on his brain the size of a lemon. Surgery removed it and Alexander’s prognosis was good. But more tumours appeared on his brain and spine. For 10 months, Alexander bravely underwent surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. But the tumours continued to grow.Alexander had a rare, terminal brain tumour.  No one has ever survived more than 10 months past diagnosis.

With this bleak prognosis, the Brown family decided to spend the time Alexander had left doing the things he loved. They created a “bucket list”, and began working through all the items on the list. As part of this, they contacted Kids Cancer Care, an organization that supports families battling childhood cancer.  Alexander attended the organization’s Camp Sunrise, a day camp for young children. He had his own aid because he was the youngest camper. The two became close friends, despite their age difference.

Passion for volunteering

Samantha Knight is a 17-year-old high school student. She’s interested in pursuing a career in pediatric oncology, and this passion drove her to volunteer in hospitals and with Kids Cancer Care. At Camp Sunrise, Alexander and Samantha bonded over crafts, music, and games. When the week-long summer camp ended, the pair stayed in touch, and Samantha often babysat Alexander.
“We weren’t together very long, but we still had a really big impact on each other’s lives,” Samantha said.

“Volunteers touch the lives of so many people in Canada,” said Sue Luciuk, Interim CEO of Volunteer Calgary. “It is truly inspiring to learn about volunteers like Samantha and the impact she made and continues to make through the simple act of volunteering.”

Ruth MacKenzie, President and CEO of Volunteer Canada, says the work of volunteers is essential to our communities as well as to our social fabric and telling them how their contributions are making a positive impact is one of the best ways to thank them. “There are 12.5 million volunteers in Canada contributing more than two billion hours every year,” said MacKenzie.

On October 23, 2010, a few weeks before his third birthday, Alexander passed away with his parents at his side. Samantha attended the ceremony the Browns held to celebrate his life.

“Samantha became a good friend, and even after camp, she still came and visited him right up until he passed,” said Tara Brown. “She’s a big part of our lives now, and that’s not going to change.”

Preserving Alexander’s memory

The Brown family aimed to cross every item off Alexander’s bucket list before he passed away.After Alexander’s passing, the Browns decided to help other parents fulfill the final wishes of their terminally ill children. They founded Alexander’s Quest, a foundation that aims to raise awareness of children’s cancer, and to raise money so terminally ill children can complete their bucket lists.

“When you’re told you only have a couple months left with your kid, you’ll go broke to make sure his time is happy,” Tara explained. “We want to help other parents who are going through that. Now, we want to help people.”

For more information about Kids Cancer Care, please visit www.kidscancercare.ab.ca/.

Blood Disorder Survivor Volunteers to Protect the Health of Others

Edmonton native Abby has received more than 25 blood transfusions in her 20 years of life. When this University of Alberta student was young, the transfusions happened so frequently that she never even stopped to ponder where all that blood came from.

“When I was younger, I thought it just appeared out of nowhere.”

As she grew older, she realized the necessity of donations from the Canadian public. This realization inspired her to volunteer with Canadian Blood Services, and become a donor ambassador.

When Abby was three years old she was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia, a blood disorder that causes red blood cells to assume an abnormal, rigid shape.  The cells are left fragile, and this leads to a variety of complications.

Abby’s life-saving medical treatments allow her to lead a full, healthy life.

Reaching out to donors

Abby decided to volunteer with Canadian Blood Services in 2009 after recognizing its importance in saving the lives of many Canadians. She began by speaking at events to raise awareness of the need for donors, and to give a human face to the organization’s work.

“Volunteerism is the ultimate expression of personal responsibility,” said Karen Lynch, Volunteer Canada board member and Executive Director of Volunteer Alberta. “Alberta’s rural roots set the foundation for generations of volunteers when neighbours relied on each other for social and economic stability. While life has changed since those early days, Alberta’s values about community are entrenched.”

“One person can still make a difference, and more importantly, should make a difference. One in three Albertans choose to ‘care’ and choose to share their time, every day in every community across our province.”

Today, Abby goes to clinics and speaks with first-time donors. She reassures them if they’re nervous, and she speaks to them about the programs run by Canadian Blood Services. She also hopes that by reaching out personally to these people and thanking them for their contribution, she will encourage them to remain life-long donors.

“There are 12.5 million volunteers in Canada contributing more than two billion hours every year,” said Ruth
MacKenzie, President & CEO of Volunteer Canada. “The work of volunteers like Abby is essential to our communities as well as to our social fabric and telling them how their contributions are making a positive impact is one of the best ways to thank them.”

It’s important for Abby to give back to an organization that has done so much for her, and she is pleased to raise awareness so others who rely on blood transfusions can receive them.

“Volunteering is a way of educating people, but it’s also a form of thank you,” Abby said. “It’s an acknowledgement of people who come in and give their time and it’s a form of appreciation.”

For more information about Canadian Blood Services, please visit www.bloodservices.ca

Volunteer Grandparent Gains A Second Family

Dayle is a senior living in Metro Vancouver who volunteers – as a grandma.

Her own son and daughter-in-law are unable to have children of their own so she decided to become the Gilchrist family’s volunteer grandparent.

“Anybody who will listen knows I’ve adopted four grandchildren – it changed my life,” said Dayle. “It makes you feel younger when you’re out with kids and doing the things kids do.”

Mary Gilchrist is a single mother raising four children on her own. A native of B.C., she moved to France when her children were young to be with their father. But the relationship between Gilchrist and the children’s father didn’t last. When they split up, she moved back to Metro Vancouver with her children. She had no family close by.

Five years ago, while reading the local paper, she found an article that insisted it took a village to raise a child.

“That really bugged me. What if you don’t have the help of an entire village? What if you’re doing it on your
own?”

Shortly after reading the article, Gilchrist found an advertisement for Volunteer Grandparents, a non-profit organization in Burnaby, B.C., which pairs seniors with children who don’t have a grandparent figure in their lives.

She felt the program could help her children develop a meaningful, lasting relationship with another adult.

“There are 12.5 million volunteers in Canada contributing more than two billion hours every year,” said Ruth
MacKenzie, President & CEO of Volunteer Canada. “The work of volunteers like Dayle is essential to our communities as well as to our social fabric and telling them how their contributions are making a positive impact is one of the best ways to thank them.”

Gaining a grandma

When the Gilchrist family was paired with Dayle they began to spend lots of time together: going to movies, the park, attending festivals, and celebrating family birthdays. Over time, their relationship grew stronger, until Dayle was no longer a volunteer – to the Gilchrists, she became grandma.

“There are endless ways to volunteer in your community; we need only be aware of our surroundings and really observe what goes on around us,” said Dave Baspaly, Executive Director of Volunteer Burnaby.

“Volunteerism is literally everywhere. Volunteering is a positive chain that goes around making the world a happier and healthier place for everyone.”

The Gilchrists don’t have an entire village behind them. But with Dayle’s involvement, this family has grown and become stronger.

The Gilchrist children have someone else they can trust, and Mary has someone she can count on and confide in.

“The kids absolutely love (Dayle). She has a really good heart, and she’s genuine, and she just loves the kids. For me, she’s like the mom I never had. She’s part of our family.”

For more information about Volunteer Grandparents, please visit www.volunteergrandparents.ca.

The Debate Over Volunteer Tax Credits

Canada boasts a rich voluntary sector that strengthens the country’s communities and leads positive change. Canada’s voluntary sector is second in the world only to that of the Netherlands, with 12.5 million volunteers contributing 2.1 billion hours of service each year. But the landscape of volunteering is changing, as Canada’s most active and dedicated volunteers – mainly seniors and retired baby boomers – reduce their volunteer hours as they age.  Maintaining Canada’s culture of volunteering is crucial, but opinions vary on how to preserve volunteerism.

Some politicians and organizations propose issuing tax credit incentives to volunteers as a possible solution to the problem of recruiting and retaining volunteers. In 2008, Peter Stoffer, Member of Parliament for Sackville-Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia, introduced a Private Member’s Bill proposing that taxpayers who volunteer at least 250 hours be issued a tax credit up to $1,000.00. Supporters of tax credit incentives say they serve as recognition of voluntary participation, rather than an economic evaluation of volunteer contributions. The federal government already issues tax credits for charitable donations, to recognize and reward charitable giving.

Opponents of the Bill argue that providing payment in the form of tax credits delves into the dangerous territory of placing an economic value on a volunteer’s time and effort. Those opposed also believe a tax credit incentive program would place a heavy burden on non-profit and charitable organizations, because of the amount of paperwork and administrative effort required to track volunteer hours.

Read more here.