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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 3, 2014 | 20 VOLUNTEERS GROWCOMMUNITY National Volunteer Week April 6-12, 2014 volunteerism. Recent data shows that the highest rate of volunteerism is between 15-24 years old. Immediately after that there is a sharp decline in volunteerism and the number of hours volunteered. This is a trend we can change by encouraging youth to seek out and connect to issues they care about, and then find ways to support them with their time. ChangeTheWorld (April 6th-May 19, 2014) is about getting students to volunteer. It is an incredible opportunity to try out a program or agency to see if it resonates with your interests and skills. There is no limit to the way young people can get involved with their community. 40 hours is a lot less intimidating when you are enjoying yourself. It is even more comfortable when you do it with friends. Being the change in ChangeTheWorld "Volunteers do not have more time, they just have more heart." ANONYMOUS thank you To all the volunteers who make a difference in the lives of Halton students. Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week By Shannon Kitchings Every year, the Government of Ontario in partnership with the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network strives to encourage all high school students to volunteer during National Volunteer Week (April 6-12, 2014) and beyond in a campaign called ChangeTheWorld. Volunteering is a vital part of life for youth as it is a requirement of graduating from high school and moving into adulthood. At Volunteer Halton, we are working hard to make these volunteer experiences meaningful and memorable. If young people don't see value in giving back to their community, we are heading toward a cold and lonely world without a lot of the support our society relies on today. Volunteers contribute more than 44 million hours a year in Ontario. They shovel snow, tutor kids, plant trees, and raise much needed funds. Volunteers cook meals, do taxes, sing. The spectrum of tasks volunteers engage in is wide. Yet, many of our youth find it hard to connect to something they truly care about. When our students are looking for something they can participate in, we try to align them with a group or activity they will continue with into their adult lives. This is the changing face of Volunteers are the Lifeline of our Service. A very special THANK YOU to all Distress Centre Oakville Volunteers for their dedication and commitment in making a difference in our community. Distress Line: 905-849-4541 www.distresscentreoakville.com CNIB Volunteers supporters philanthropists superstars V.I.P.s leaders role models advocates champions friends heroes Thank you! CNIB thanks its volunteers. Thank you for brightening the lives of people with vision loss. 1-800-563-2642 · cnib.ca Thank You Acclaim Health Volunteers! Your dedication makes a positive difference in the lives of thousands of individuals in need every year. Thank You! Our volunteers help make dreams come true. Find out how to volunteer www.erinoakkids.ca Contact us at 905-827-8800 x2317 or volunteering@acclaimhealth.ca to volunteer today! Charitable Registration #: 11928 4602 RR0001 [www.acclaimhealth.ca]