Ontario Government Marks
International Volunteer Day
Volunteers Are An Important Part Of Building Strong Communities
TORONTO, Dec. 2 /CNW/ - Ontario Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle marked the upcoming International Volunteer Day today by urging young people to get more involved in volunteering.
"Young people have the kind of energy and enthusiasm that makes a real difference in communities across Ontario," said Colle speaking to grade nine students at Lawrence Park Collegiate. "I'm here today to promote the benefits of volunteering and to encourage all Ontarians to challenge themselves, their friends and their families to give time to their community."
Volunteerism is a longstanding tradition in Ontario. Volunteers staffed the first hospitals and homes for the aged. Volunteers established the YMCA in 1851, the Red Cross in 1896, and the Victorian Order of Nurses in 1897.
"Volunteerism expands your horizons," Colle said. "More than one in four Ontarians volunteer for everything from coaching to delivering meals. Ontario simply couldn't do without volunteers."
The Ontario government, through the Honours and Awards Secretariat,
rewards the volunteer efforts of Ontarians through several programs including the Volunteer Service Awards and the Outstanding Achievement Awards for Voluntarism. This year, more than 8,000 volunteers in 39 communities across the province were honoured for their years of volunteer commitment.
"Volunteers are vital to every community in Ontario," said Colle. "There are thousands of Ontarians who make an extraordinary personal investment in the communities they serve."
International Volunteer Day is celebrated on December 5 each year, and was first established by the United Nations in 1985.
