“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia
There are many health benefits to volunteering. It is good for your mental health by keeping your brain active. Meaningful, productive activities may help you feel happier leaving you with a more positive outlook on life. It may encourage you to get more involved with a non-profit organization that you have always admired, or to search out an organization based on your interests or career skills.
Throughout our lives we experience times when our sense of purpose may begin to fade. Our children grow up and move on with their lives, we retire from our jobs, or relocate to a new town or city. Our once busy lives have slowed down to what feels like a crawl leaving us with a void, or a lack of inspiration. Volunteering helps us regain that sense of purpose, it allows us to feel recharged and motivated.
The feeling of loneliness and a lack of social interaction with others can negatively impact a person’s health. Life changes, such as moving to a new neighbourhood or retiring from a career can make finding friends to spend time with more difficult. Volunteering in your community is a great way to meet new people with similar interests. It gets you out of the house and promotes socialization.
Physical activity is essential to staying healthy and independent. Volunteering keeps you moving whether you are serving meals, driving someone to a doctor’s appointment, helping at a food bank, helping at a community event, assisting someone with yard or garden work, sorting and returning bottles to support a non-profit organization, or walking around the neighbourhood with someone as their safety companion.
There are a wide variety of volunteer opportunities in every community. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering in the Lumby area, please call Sharon Johnson – Volunteer Coordinator
Whitevalley Community Resource Centre
250-547-8866
A weekly feature for Lumby, Cherryville, and area seniors. For more information about any of the following please contact Colleen or Jenny at (250) 547-8866 Whitevalley Community Resource Centre Office (250) 547-8866. Funding support provided by Interior Health, the Province of British Columbia (Community Gaming), United Way Southern Interior and United Way Lower Mainland.
