Calgary Communauté Nouvelles

Of all the things one would expect to see during sorting at the Calgary Food Bank, vacuum-packed smoked salmon and a tin of shrimp pate would not be on the list.

With biting winds and heaps of snow, clearing Calgary's sidewalks isn’t always easy – and it’s especially hard on some. Enter here the Calgary Snow Angels: volunteers who pick up a shovel and hit the streets to help elderly neighbours and those in need by keeping their sidewalks clear.

Significant progress has been made in stroke treatment research at the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Dr. Michael Hill has played a major role in several groundbreaking studies. The researcher, clinician and a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada volunteer was presented with the organization’s Award of Merit, the highest honour for a volunteer, at a ceremony in Winnipeg earlier this month.

Well hello summer! You’re finally here, forcing your unyielding heat and lengthy daylight hours on anyone who will listen. As the season rolls in, you are probably contemplating where you should go for your summer vacation. Have you ever considered volunteering abroad?

Part of community impact is engaging in the civic life of communities, and that starts with electing national and local leaders. Holding elections hinges on the help of volunteers, so this area is one that’s ripe for employee involvement.

Voluntourism has a bad reputation. It's supposed to help vulnerable communities, but often it seems like the only people to benefit are the volunteers, who get new content for their resume and photos for their Instagram.