National Volunteer Week is an initiative of Volunteer Canada that encourages organizations to recognize the contributions of volunteers in supporting wellbeing in our communities. The theme for 2024 is Every Moment Matters, and we want to recognize the contributions that some of our Kindred teammates make through their volunteer day.
Kindred currently offers every staff member up to 8 hours of paid volunteer time during their regular shift as part of our comprehensive rewards package. Many of our teammates volunteer in their free time, beyond the paid volunteer time we offer. Since we can’t cover each and every volunteer, we chose four amazing volunteers to highlight.
Tamara Bondy, Senior Personal Lending Specialist – Mount Forest Branch
Tell us about a volunteer experience?
I use an hour of my volunteer time each week to run financial literacy workshops in my community. Right now, I am doing a series of 9 Each One Teach One (EOTO) workshops on financial literacy at Ramoth House (Mount Forest) for single moms. Through the workshops, we provide tools to help the women make better decisions for themselves and their lives. I have also done this at the Arthur Learning Centre, and at Employment Centre in Mount Forest in previous years.
What compelled you to volunteer?
When EOTO was released in 2017, I was in an early group of trainers. As a lender, I am often working with younger folks and provide some guidance on how to get their personal financials on track. I really enjoyed the connections I made with our younger members. I jumped on the EOTO training because it provides more materials and a structured plan to educate people on their finances. I saw it as a way of helping people with financial literacy, which had been missing. People aren’t taught it at school or at home. You see the impacts of that in our position as lenders. As a lender, it’s good to extend that knowledge to them, and help them with their plans.
Describe the feeling volunteering gives you?
I get a lot of satisfaction! At the end I ask the group, ‘did you get one bit of info that you didn’t know?’ It is such a good feeling that you are reaching out and helping. You don’t expect the group to remember everything, but if they can hold on to one thing, it’s worthwhile. It invigorates me – I get so much back! I learn so much from them, too, about their experiences, why they live where they do or how they got there, and more -- I get so much perspective from it.
What advice would you give someone who was thinking about volunteering?
Go for it! Volunteering is a very rewarding experience. If you have a passion and believe strongly, go out and give back to your community. Go out and present, and to help others! The only way we function is by us all working together. You are a little piece of the puzzle to make the whole picture.
Kendra Jantzi, Manager, Member Services Team – Milverton Branch
Tell us about a volunteer experience?
I help with administration work for Shenandoah Christian Music Camp (Wallenstein), which is a choral music camp. The original camp is based out of Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA; this is the first branch in Canada! The purpose of the camp is to educate and advance church choral singing. A lot of what I do is preparation for the actual camp: I help with ordering textbooks and music, day to day tasks, office work, planning meetings, and I help with the contact with students, teachers, and conductors.
What compelled you to volunteer?
I attended music camp in Virginia twice. When the idea was raise about bringing the camp to Canada, the board knew I had been involved and asked if I would help. I very much enjoy admin type work, and I was all in to help!
Additionally, I enjoy music, especially singing. This provides unique choral opportunities – I often help with (or am) part of choir for part of the day. I have also seen how singing in our churches has changed (declining), and knowing that you can help keep it going is meaningful.
Describe the feeling volunteering gives you?
I want to be helpful in something that is bigger than myself. It all ties together, knowing that this (music) will live beyond me.
What advice would you give someone who was thinking about volunteering?
I would say it’s a great opportunity to do something different than our day-to-day work. Volunteering gets us involved with people differently. People are inspiring! And the people I meet help me think differently about my world – they have broadened my perspective.
Kate Pearce, Manager, Social Impact – Head Office
Tell us about a volunteer experience?
I spend my volunteer day with the Waterloo Wellington Science and Engineering Fair. I help out with many different roles, including setting up and checking student displays, supporting the administration group while they collect score cards, and in the afternoon, I help run programming for the intermediate age group. I love creativity and innovation, and the science fair reminds me of the brilliance our youth hold – it gives me so much hope for the future knowing their genius will tackle many of the issues our world is facing.
What compelled you to volunteer?
I have been connected with the science fair for a few years, and really enjoy the group of volunteers who run the event. I also love seeing all the different projects that the students have worked on, and learning about what inspired their ideas and questions. It is also a chance to connect with some folks that I don’t see often otherwise, so we get to stay in touch.
Describe the feeling volunteering gives you?
This volunteer works makes me feel helpful. I know that many activities, like the science fair, depend on volunteers to run and keep running. Knowing that my little part helps that feels good.
What advice would you give someone who was thinking about volunteering?
If you are thinking about volunteering, I say share your skills and talents – we are all good at something and those skills can help others succeed. Volunteering is great way to give back in ways that are meaningful! Volunteering helps keep us connected to each other, our passion, our community, and keeps organizations running!
Brad Martin – Business Banking Regional Manager
Tell us about a volunteer experience?
I am part of the leadership team that oversees our youth ministry at Wallenstein Bible Chapel. It takes a lot of volunteers, so our leadership of all the volunteers is necessary to provide overall guidance and structure to junior youth (11 to 13), senior youth (14 to 19) and small group bible study (14 to 19) areas. I usually split my volunteer day in half: two afternoons in preparation for two youth retreats. One is a work weekend where we take over 50 teenagers to a camp, and complete different tasks; last year we did everything from piling wood, digging trenches, building walk ways and pathways.
What compelled you to volunteer?
I have always volunteered in various capacities and being in an area of service is what contributes to my growth. I usually volunteer with youth – it is an age bracket I have always worked with. It’s a critical age, when they are starting to transition to adult hood, and we support them so they can make better life choices. It also helps create cross generational connections in our church. Our volunteer group has a diversity in age and I’m the old guy.
Describe the feeling volunteering gives you?
It creates connectedness within the church. I love the connection to a younger age group and being relational. I think of it in terms of, like my household, there are always different age groups hanging out. My wife and I are big believers in making our home a place where everyone feels comfortable and welcome, and this camp is an extension of that. We foster a safe and comfortable space, where they are welcome.
What advice would you give someone who was thinking about volunteering?
Do it. You have to start somewhere, so find something to start with and it will open doors for you. When you volunteer, you do something that is not about yourself.
Learn more about National Volunteer Week by visiting volunteer.ca; learn more about volunteering in local communities by visiting Volunteer Waterloo-Region, or visit your municipal website for volunteer opportunities.