Volunteer fair pitches roles for all

The first volunteer fair hosted by the Mennonite Heritage Village on April 18 gave attendees a look at the possibilities of helping out nearly a dozen local non-profits.

Perhaps the most well known was MCC, and general manager Dave Thiessen kicked off the event with a keynote of sorts, explaining the importance of volunteers to their organization.

The Steinbach MCC Thrift Store opened in 1972 in Steinbach and was one of the original thrift stores, a title that includes Winkler, Altona and Winnipeg.

Currently there are 45 MCC thrift stores in Canada and another 45 in the U.S.

Thiessen acknowledged that unlike many of the non-profits in attendance, MCC does generate income, allowing them to support MCC projects and other local organizations. Last year they gave away $650,000.

But volunteers are still important to their bottom line,

“Every hour that someone is donating is one hour that we don’t have to pay someone,” he said.

He also acknowledged that any local volunteers help out at multiple organizations.

“If you have a heart for that, if you have a sense in your spirit to be serving somehow, somewhere, very often you do that at more than one place,” he said. “It’s always that willing horse that keeps getting hooked up to the wagon all the time, over and over.”

He told attendees that each volunteer organization shares the desire to see all succeed.

“None of us want to steal volunteers from other organizations,” he said. “Wherever you’re serving, keep doing that.”

Volunteer participation at many organizations took a hit during the COVID epidemic, and in many cases it has yet to bounce back.

He urged people to connect with an organization with values and a mission that resonates.

“If you help out with any of these organizations that are here, it is a way to give back and it is a way to have a positive impact,” he said. “Together we can help our community be a better place for everyone.”