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w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Th ur sd ay , D ec em be r 1 6, 2 01 0 1 6 BusinessOakvilleBeaver Next yearwhy not considerdonating yourself to char-ity. Many of you have given to charities in the past. And your donation may have been cash. Yes, cash is needed, but there is also a great demand for volunteers as well. It is the combina- tion of cash donations and volunteers that make so many of Oakvilles chari- ties a success. Do you think there is an interest from our vari- ous charity groups for your time? Absolutely yes. And there are many rea- sons for this. Many people are too busy with their careers and in many cases just do not have time. Listen to the radio traf- fic reports and hear how many commuters get up early, flood the highways and come home late with no time or energy to be involved in extra activities. But charities do need help from those who do have the time to invest back into their communi- ties. However, Oakville does have a potential problem in attracting vol- unteers. Those who give their time will want to ensure their effort can be useful. Why donate time if our community does not real- ly need you? People will volunteer for a cause they believe in, if that cause delivers valu- able services to those less fortunate. Dont be misguided by the belief that there is not as much of a need in Oakville because of our reputation as an affluent community. Nothing could be further from the truth. At a charity meeting several years ago, one speaker referred to the significant number of citi- zens beneath Oakvilles veneer of wealth requiring some form of assistance. The Oakville Community Foundation provides some insight as to the needs of our town. It surveyed our communi- tys needs to determine where philanthropic resources can best be directed. The survey is called Vital Signs and the following data came from its website (www.theocf.org). Between 2001 and 2006, the number of fam- ilies in Halton living below the poverty line increased by 44 per cent. This does not compare well to Ontarios overall seven per cent increase. In contrast to Milton, our friendly neighbours to the north, a significantly higher number of our seniors live below the poverty line. Oakville does have a wealthy contingent. But that is misleading. Our community has the third highest gap between the rich and poor in Canada after Toronto and Vancouver. There is definitely a need in Oakville for chari- ty. So that brings us back to the starting point. You. Are you willing and able to donate your time as a volunteer? What are your skills and interests? Charities need people to plan events, create websites, solicit other volunteers, handle the finances or canvass houses to raise funds. Should you be a Big Sister or a Big Brother? Im sure the hospital could use your help by joining those already con- tributing their time sever- al hours weekly to that cause. Recently retired indi- viduals might have extra time. Becoming a volun- teer could add some structure and fulfillment to their lives. What a great opportu- nity to transfer your career skills to a local charitable organization. From what I have seen over the years you would be welcomed and appreci- ated. Maybe its time to give your time. Volunteers are the glue that holds our community together. Remember, the rewards you receive from your life are directly pro- portionate to what you contribute. Next week, Ill discuss how you can make a financial donation. But our approach will be dif- ferent. Should your family consider establishing a Family Foundation? Its very easy and can be done with a surprisingly small amount of money with significant benefits for your family. We will discuss this next Thursday. Submitted by Peter Watson, MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI. In 1991 Peter founded Peter Watson Investments in Oakville. Peter can be reached at 905-842-2100 or visit the website at www.peterwat- soninvestments.com. Invest in your community by volunteering for a charity Dollars & Sense By Peter Watson