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National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize, thank and celebrate Canada's 12.7 million volunteers. The Halton Children's Aid Society encourages you to join us in taking the time to thank the many volunteers who do so much in our communities. At the Halton Children's Aid Society, our volunteers annually contribute more than 16,000 hours of their time in various roles including mentors, volunteer drivers, summer camp support, food for life program assistance, tutoring and so much more. Meet Jim. Every week, he packs fresh food boxes and delivers them to individuals and families in need. Some are young adults starting out on their own, others are single parents who need a bit of a helping hand­ all appreciate his efforts. "I can't imagine not being involved. I honestly don't know what I would do without Children's Aid," he shares. Why volunteer? "It's about hope for the future, not only hope for our kids, but also for parents who are trying and struggling and for the community as well. We hope for change-- for the better," says Joan. She has logged thousands of hours over the 30 years she's SALUTE TO VOLUNTEERS Children's Aid Society volunteers Selfless acts in a selfie world contribute 16,000+ hours of time mals and By Jessica Sibley spent volunteering for our Society. She's coached young women in labour, cuddled babies, pored over paperwork and shared her experience at the board table. Through it all, she's raised her own family and worked full-time, leaving evenings and weekends for her fun. Those are two stories, but there are many, many more from the hundreds of people who have volunteered with us over the years. During National Volunteer Week, we thank our volunteers, both past and present, for their wonderful contributions to the work of our Society. We are proud to recognize them this week and in the future. We could not do the work we do without them. The Society provides community-based services in Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville. Over 91per cent of our protection workers reach out by working directly in schools, counseling agencies and the Halton Regional Police Services. In Halton, 97 per cent of the children and youth remain in their own homes-- only 3 per cent come into care, of which 72 per cent are over the age of 13. We rely on the generosity of donors and the hard work of the Children's Aid Foundation of Halton to support our youth to continue their education and transition into adulthood. Volunteer Halton Addison Law, a 10-year-old Burlignton student, never imagined that her random act of kindness would go viral. It all started when Addison decided to leave some spare change on a vending machine at McMaster Hospital with a note asking people to pay it forward. Addison's gesture ended up exploding on social media when somebody took a photograph of her note and posted it on Facebook. The person thanked Addison for her generosity and continued the cycle of kindness. With the post receiving over 630 likes and over 50 shares, Addison was able to do what many could not: ignite a spark for people to do good. Addison's generosity and volunteerism doesn't end there. Addison, alongside her older sister Ainslie, have been actively involved in philanthropy for the past five years and together they have raised over $10,000 dollars for charities across Belleville, Hamilton and Halton region. Some of her volunteerism include summer carolling, toy drives, sponsoring holiday meals and donating food for those in need, asking for pledges instead of birthday gifts, fostering animals, donating her hair for cancer, and in the summertime selling freezies with her older sister at their local parks. "Knowing that I'm helping people and ani- knowing that I'm helping my community," Addison said when asked about what she enjoyed most about volunteering. "I want people to feel fortunate inside." she said. "I can't do it on my own. We need ADDISON LAW to do it together." Addison gave some important advice for youths who are thinking about getting involved in volunteering, "Don't do it for the fame. You have to want to do it to help others. Even if people make fun of you, it is still the right thing to do." Addison insists that her work in volunteerism is not the exception and that anyone can get involved in their community and make a difference if they want to, "I want kids to know that they can volunteer too." Addison's next project is to come up with 11 acts of kindness for her birthday which include acts such as opening the door for 11 people, playing with someone who is alone, helping seniors cross the street and more. Volunteer Halton invites everyone to experience the world of volunteering, visit our volunteer database at: www.volunteerhalton.ca. Volunteers: Giving Time, Touching Hearts Volunteers - Thursday, April 14, 2016 - The IFP - Halton Hills - www.theifp.ca National Volunteer Week: April 10-16 Volunteers are the roots of strong communities Volunteers nourish our lives with their energy, skills and talents. Through volunteering people become rooted in their communities, connecting to the people and places where they live. Just as a vibrant and healthy tree establishes itself with strong roots beneath the surface, volunteers also grow our communities in ways that often go unseen. National Volunteer Week is a time to express our gratitude for the fantastic work volunteers do, work that benefits us all. This National Volunteer Week ­ April 10 to 16, Town of Halton Hills Council and staff would like to extend their sincere thank you to the volunteers within our community. Thank you for your time, energy and compassion. Thank you for making our community healthier, strengthening our organizations, mentoring our children and for creating a more resilient and inclusive society. Let's celebrate the volunteers among us who give so much of themselves to our community. Our volunteers are a big part of what makes Halton Hills a great place to live, demonstrating "Small Town Living at Its Best!" National Volunteer Appreciation Week April 10-16, 2016 Georgetown Hospital is very fortunate to have an amazing team of dedicated and talented volunteers who touch the hearts of our patients and visitors every day. We would like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to all our volunteers for their invaluable service and fundraising contributions. Our volunteers give their time to support our patients, visitors, staff and Physicians and are an integral part of our healthcare team. Page 4 Mayor Rick Bonnette Volunteer with us! Visit www.haltonhealthcare.com