Volunteers What would we do without them?

Thankfully there are people who choose to make their profession in the field of helping others, like those that work for charitable foundations like the team at the Atlantic JDRF. It is by times a hard and thankless job, but obviously rewarding as well. They are the backbone of any foundation, most specifically the JDRF in its dedication to being very fiscally responsible with the money raised though it's various events. We cannot thank you enough.

Then there are those who volunteer their time and energy, to help others - invaluable.

On June 12th, 2011 was the annual Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes. Held in a number of cities across Canada. The Halifax walk had a great turn out, and as of the end of day on Sunday, the event had exceeded its goals and raised in excess of $144,000.00 with some donations still to come.

The Walk event is a major fundraising vehicle for JDRF, and the fundraising coordinators are the foundation for organizing the sponsorship, logistics and million other large and small tasks required to pull off an event of this size, and they did a fantastic job! As well like most events, it takes a small army to stage a fundraiser, and yesterday the volunteers were there in a big way.

I understand the call to volunteer for a cause that directly affects you and those you love. That is evident in my family's efforts to support diabetes research and programs. What never fails to impress me and touch me deeply are the number of volunteers who were at the Telus Walk yesterday, giving up their Sunday, (not to mention time spend before the walk), because they wanted to help.

The organizing committee lead by some of the most dedicated and passionate folks I know, Keith, Tabatha, Ron and Ben you did a phenomenal amount of effort and should be very proud of your success.

A big thank you has to go out to the owner of Sunnyside Too in Bedford who provided a pancake breakfast for all the participants at no charge, and cooked up a wonderful meal with his own staff and equipment that he supplied, ensuring that everyone had lots to eat and even had a card breakdown for the food.

There was everyone from teenagers to seniors who were there to "help" with anything that needed doing, from setup, to registrations, as well as keeping kids entertained with games, face painting etc. Their efforts were nothing short of outstanding.

The fact isthat any number of events could not take place without the selfless volunteer, and I would like, on behalf of my family, to extend our most sincere appreciation and gratitude to all the volunteers out there who give of their time so generously.

The next time you are at a fundraiser or community event, take a look around and notice hoe many "volunteer" badges or shirts you see. Then make a point of thanking them for their dedication, I will.