living cover
generosity of the community is what steers and allows
organizations to be the connection between giver and
receiver. It builds a sense of community, citizenship, and
hope.
“It really does make you feel like you are making a
difference in your community and for the people who
are receiving it,” Danielle explains. “They feel like the
community cares about them which is probably the biggest
motivator in change. When people have hope, they start
to see they can improve the circumstances that may be
holding them back at the moment.”
“Giving a hand up is key,” she adds. Sometimes families
expected they would be able to
meet the needs of the holiday
season, but it eluded them.
“The relief that we see on
parents’ faces when they get
their toy bundles is seriously the
best story of Christmas because
they know they are going to have
something to put under their tree
for their kids,” Danielle fondly
recalls, and she explains that many
of the festivities we have as a
culture are tied to food. “Food is
what brings people together, and
having the ability to provide food
for your family is what makes you
feel like a worthwhile human being.”
If it is the generosity of the community in donations that
provides, it is the time given of volunteers which enables
organizations to thrive. Volunteer Lethbridge is the main
hub in the city for matching volunteers with agencies and
opportunities.
Upwards of 200 Volunteer Lethbridge volunteers will be
at Park Place Mall this holiday season, working like elves,
festively wrapping some 1,500 presents for community
members and corporations to give their loved ones and
colleagues. Funds raised help support Volunteer Lethbridge
programs and services, including connecting volunteers with
opportunities through more than 130 member-agencies.
When a volunteer opportunity is successful, Diana Sim,
Executive Director at Volunteer Lethbridge, notes it is
beneficial to the individual, the organization, and the
clients they serve which ultimately affects the community
and beyond.
“There are many different reasons and motivations why
people volunteer,” Diana explains. “So it truly is [a matter
of] motivation [being] unique to each individual, I believe.
But when you take the time to give back, you find often
you receive more in return by taking the time to share of
yourself. So, giving the gift of the time is something you
can never get back, but in giving the gift of time you are
helping yourself, you are helping the organization, you are
helping their clients, you are helping the community, you
are helping our province, our nation, and the world.”
Volunteering enriches and strengthen the community,
Diana adds.
“[Volunteering] really helps create that healthy, vibrant
community that we all strive to be a part of, but when we
each take our time that goes into building that healthy,
strong community, then our circle around us becomes
healthier. And to me, that’s where
you start seeing the ripple effect.
When you start, it just grows. You see
the impact that you make.”
With the giving spirit of the
season, the Lethbridge Community
Band Society (LCBS) aspires to feed
the soul during the annual Mayor’s
Christmas Concert.
In its 26th year, the City’s mayor
hosts this community event which
features the Gold and Silver concert
bands, and a guest children’s choir,
and spreads the essence of the season
through music — while collecting
food for the local food banks.
It is an experience that brings the community together,
and for LCBS President, René van de Vendel, it begins the
Christmas season. He says the music touches people, and
takes their emotions and does something with them.
There is great value to the experience of the program that
concludes with a combination of all the bands playing,
while the audience sings along to traditional Christmas
songs.
The annual concert has been an integral part of the city’s
festive season. For three years now, the society’s rendition
of Tuba Christmas gathers area tuba players from novice to
expert, young and old, for a 45-minute concert. Horns are
decorated with lights with the intent to move the audience,
and encourage youth to have the experience no matter
their ability.
René finds, for both band and audience, being immersed
in the music reaches within. “It brings the spirit of the
season,” he says. “It combines it with whatever people
are walking around with themselves for emotion and for
stresses or happiness, or whatever they may have, and the
music brings all of that together. It reaches in right to the
soul and strikes the soul.”
“There’s something
about Christmas
that tends to bring
out generosity,
nostalgia and wonder
in many of us.”
LETHBRIDGELIVING.COM
NOV-DEC 2017
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