Halton volunteers celebrated at National Volunteer Week gathering

Community Development Halton (CDH) hosted its yearly National Volunteer Week celebration last night (April 15) at St. Christopher’s Church, with tea, coffee, fruit and cake available to everyone who had contributed the past year in Burlington and Oakville.

The non-profit organization invited volunteers from across the Halton region to recognize the efforts put in year-round by people devoted to their communities and giving up their personal time to help others.

"It’s an amazing opportunity to come together to celebrate each other,” CDH director Heather Johnson said. “The committee was blown away by the breadth of the volunteers' contributions. It was a bit sad at times to hear about the need in the community, but really inspiring to hear how people are meeting that need. To get a chance to meet them face to face, to hear their stories and hear them sharing, it’s amazing because it’s all about belonging.”

The theme of the event was ‘Every Moment Matters,’ acknowledging the time and effort that has to be put in by every volunteer to help their neighbours, especially after the pandemic.

“Every volunteer that gives their time is going to make an impact in the community,” Johnson said. “Even if someone gives a couple of hours of their time once a year, they're making a huge difference in the community.”

Several awards were given out over the course of the event. The Cheers to Volunteers awards, the Halton Volunteer Impact Award and the first-ever Heather Thompson Volunteer Excellence Award were all presented to individuals who have gone above and beyond to serve and assist their communities.

Burlington’s Nancy Williams, Sharon Collins and Melanie Daley received three of the 12 available Cheers to Volunteers awards, while Jordan Clarke, Ioana Popa and Gloria Reid were the recipients of the Volunteer Impact Awards for Burlington.

CDH has its doors open on Tuesdays and Thursdays at St. Christopher’s Church for anyone interested in learning more about the organization or who wants to lend a hand.