VOLUNTEERING

Thank you, that was a wonderful introduction. I do have to apologise though, you see, I'm not David Hobson. I'm a friend of his. He couldn't make it tonight. He felt terrible about letting all of you down. I thought, what a wonderful opportunity so I volunteered! I knew I’d be in good company.

They tried to get a high-profile speaker like Anthony Robbins. You know Anthony, he's the late-night TV motivational expert, he sells all those books and tapes on self-improvement. You know, I did it, you can do it. He's kind of motivator to the stars. So, since you are all stars, just try to imagine I'm Anthony Robbins, I look like him, except he has a bit more hair than I do, and a lot more teeth, and a lot more money. In fact, he has more of everything than I do. But then I couldn't motivate a hamster.

But even though Anthony Robbins is a highly trained professional public speaker, and a tremendous motivational speaker. I think he'd have his work cut out tonight though — trying to motivate you. I mean, You're already motivated.

Can you tell me someone isn't motivated when they're outside on a winter night flooding an ice rink when they could be home watching Seinfeld. Or how about organizing pre-school activities instead of letting them watch cartoons, especially when they're on a sugar induced rampage from Halloween. Motivate a volunteer? It's a contradiction in terms. It's like preaching to the converted. It's like telling a fish to swim, or like telling a bee to make honey. Or telling Doug Ford to slash spending. And the more Doug slashes the more we need volunteers, more stars of the neighbourhood.

Unfortunately, these days we're led to believe that the stars in society are the celebrities on TV. You've watched TV, you know that being a celebrity has no relationship to talent. You volunteers are the real stars. The people with real talent. The ones who organize, the ones who get things done around the neighbourhood. Quiet experts in your fields, with lifetimes of experience, working behind the scenes. And the neighbourhood is a darn big scene. Yes, volunteers have all the talent and motivation they need.

You see, to me, volunteering really is loving thy neighbour in action. Volunteers have a such an impact on society. It's said that when a butterfly in the Amazonian rainforest flaps its wings, that small movement can affect the earth's climate. It's that way with volunteering. One small voluntary act can set in motion a chain of events which can have dramatic effects - on yourselves, on other individuals, on groups, and on whole communities. 

Professor Robert Putnam, a Harvard political scientist has produced compelling evidence that the most socially and economically healthy societies are those that have the greatest amount of organized activity, from church choirs and chess clubs to volunteer involvement with children and the elderly.

Think about that! With the support of a committed council, and a strong Parks and Recreation Dept you people are the ones that make Kitchener a socially and economically healthy city. 1.5 million Canadians volunteer for community work on a regular basis, while three million volunteer occasionally. It's no wonder that volunteers are called the "Third Force".

You are the force that holds the community together. Without this force our neighbourhoods would be less than they are. Thank goodness we have you! Given the economic climate and government cutbacks, you are being increasingly relied upon to take up the slack. It seems every day we are faced with new challenges to do more with less. Thank you, volunteers for all that you do.

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