The Giver is written by Ottawa Mag’s Dee Campbell, who knows that people prefer to volunteer in ways that speak to their interests. Dee has volunteered for the Terry Fox Run since she was a little girl and is a Brownie Leader of 15 years.

Do you have a volun-gig needing filled? Email dcampbell@stjosephmedia.com.

It’s Apple-Picking Time

Do you have a fruit- or nut-bearing tree on your property, with bounty to share? Hidden Harvest  volunteers will come harvest your tree!

Would you like to help a local organization pick fruit and nuts off trees? You get to take some home, freshly picked-by-you!

Hidden Harvest accesses city trees growing fruits and nuts. Most grow on the roadway allowances in front of private homes. Volunteers collect the bounty, putting local food into the food system by way of canning workshops, food programs such as the Ottawa Food Bank, and more. Contact them to register your tree or to offer your picking services.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Around this time of year, girls aged 5+ are joining Sparks, Brownie, and Guide units, excited about doing crafts, exploring their community, selling cookies and going camping. And some are being turned away because their local unit doesn’t have volunteers to run it. [insert sad face]. If you have one evening per week to spare, it’s a great gig. And no, you definitely don’t need to have a child in the system to be a volunteer or any experience; you’ll be police-checked and given training. I’m a Brownie Leader to a unit of 16 girls, with two other leaders. We share responsibilities. The kids are a riot. And we know we’re helping them to create memories. In this video, my Brownie unit is singing after collecting garbage along the River. Contact Girl Guides of Canada to volunteer.

It Takes a Village

Youville Centre cares for infants and toddlers in a licensed early childhood development program, enabling adolescent mothers to complete their high school education on-site. As a volunteer, you might play with and read to the children (dibs on that gig), sort laundry, tidy, rock babies to sleep, assist with mealtimes… Wait a second, that’s what mothers do. Yup… babies are more than cuddles and nose-wiping.

“I know that whatever happens in their lives, the babies will always feel the love that was given to them in Youville Centre.” ~Yolande, Childcare Volunteer