CITYLIFE | CARING
AIRDRIE VOLUNTEERS STEP UP IN TIME OF NEED BY STACIE GAETZ
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rue to the community spirit for which Airdrie is known, residents has grown rapidly in the past few months with 775 volunteers, up from came out in force looking for ways to lend a hand during the 660 in December 2019. “We have been impressed with some of the grassroots initiatives that we COVID-19 pandemic and Volunteer Airdrie answered the call. “Volunteer Airdrie set up its Airdrie COVID-19 Response cat- have seen so far, with several new Facebook groups launched to provide support to those that need it most,” he says. egory on our Better Impact volunteering app in response to the “We hope that people new to volunteering and especially virtual volnumerous requests we were receiving from residents, groups and people unteering will find that they enjoy helping others and want to continue in from outside of Airdrie who expressed a desire to help out during the crisome way after the crisis is over.” sis,” says Dave Maffitt, chair of the Volunteer Airdrie Society. Volunteer Airdrie is working with the City of Airdrie’s Social Planning He added many of the local non-profit agencies were also receiving inquiries from new volunteers or existing volunteers (seniors and vulnerable and Community Development groups to plan for the post-crisis recovery, which will include strategies to re-engage volunteers that have been on the people) who could no longer donate their time in the same way. sidelines for the past few months. The volunteering opportunities Maffitt says his team encouravailable through Volunteer Aird“Volunteering helps keep people ages residents to volunteer during rie’s website and Better Impact active both physically and mentally and and after the crisis, as long as it is volunteering app are “virtual voldone as safely as possible. unteering” activities that people gives each day a purpose, not only to get out “We know people want to help can do safely from the comfort of of bed, but be part of history” others but may not know how to go their homes. about doing so safely,” he says. For example, volunteers can “Volunteering helps keep people active both physically and menmake face masks for use by residents of the Mustard Seed. Another initiative is to sew tote bags for frontline health care workers to use when tally and gives each day a purpose, not only to get out of bed, but be part of history.” transporting their work uniforms home safely to be washed. Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney and Chief Medical Officer Dee“We have seen a lot of interest in writing cards and letters to our senior residents at the Bethany Care Airdrie facility to help them deal with isola- na Hinshaw have also encouraged Albertans to do their part in helping others get through this challenging situation by volunteering tion from their family and friends who are no longer able to visit them in their time. person,” says Maffitt. Residents interested in volunteering can sign up free of charge Volunteer Airdrie has also been supporting the Calgary Drop-In & Refor the Better Impact app available on the App Store or learn more hab Centre with donations of linens, blankets, towels and wash cloths for about available opportunities through volunteerairdrie.ca, social methe 500 emergency beds that were opened in March. dia channels @volunteerairdrie, by phone at 403-993-5034 or by Maffitt says the response to the app has been even more positive than he could have imagined. The organization’s membership in Better Impact email info@volunteerairdrie.ca
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S U M M E R 2020
