North Delta’s Kennedy Seniors’ Recreation Centre has won a province-wide photo competition celebrating volunteers.
As part of National Volunteer Week (April 7-13), Volunteer BC held a contest inviting individuals and organizations throughout the province to submit photos that captured this year’s theme of “The Volunteer Factor —Lifting Communities.”
The photo submitted by the Kennedy Seniors Society shows volunteers at the centre sorting and counting 2,212 purple baby hats that members knitted and donated to BC Children’s Hospital as part of the Click for Babies BC campaign, which aims to raise awareness about normal infant crying (dubbed “purple crying”), how to cope with crying and the dangers of reacting to crying in frustration by shaking or harming an infant.
“Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, colours, demographics, and this photo really communicated that theme [of lifting communities],” Lorelynn Hart, program director with Volunteer BC, said. “It really showed the enthusiasm, the energy, the diversity in this community, so that’s why it was chosen. It really communicated what volunteering is all about.”
The Kennedy Seniors’ Recreation Centre has about 1,200 members and only four paid city staff. Without its 100-plus volunteers, Kennedy Seniors Society president Rick Stonehouse said, the centre would grind to halt.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of the society. This building could not operate without volunteers,” Stonehouse said.
As part of their win, the society was presented with a cheque for $150 on Tuesday, May 21, and as one of the contest’s three finalists, the photo will be used in Volunteer BC’s marketing materials.
Stonehouse said the winnings will likely be used to help pay for the annual volunteer appreciation dinner in November.
To see the rest of the photos submitted for the contest, head to volunteerbc.bc.ca/about/volunteer-bc-national-volunteer-week-2019-photo-contest-submissions.
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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