National Volunteer Week takes place from April 18-24, 2021 and this year’s theme is ‘The Value of One, The Power of Many’.
According to volunteer.ca, the 2021 theme reflects on the acts of kindness by millions of people who volunteer every year, and the magic that happens when people work together towards a common purpose.
The East Kootenay branch of the BC SCPA is just one of many local organizations that relies on the efforts of volunteers.
The local branch recently took to Facebook to thank their hard-working volunteers, with a focus on their recycling program which raised over $50,000 between January of 2020 and January of this year.
As the Townsman reported at the beginning of the year, from January 7 2020 to January 7 2021, $50,262 of recycling was sorted and redeemed through the East Kootenay SPCA’s recycling program.
READ: East Kootenay SPCA celebrates $50K milestone with recycling program
Volunteers Jack Selman and Tom Blom took over the recycling program in January of 2020. They have been in charge of the program since, and many volunteers have spent countless hours helping them with the donations.
Christy King, Manager of the East Kootenay SPCA branch, says that volunteers are crucial to the organization.
“We couldn’t do the work that we do without the help of our volunteers and the community,” King said. “They are truly the lifeline of the organization. We’re so happy to have so many people who are so dedicated to helping animals.”
She adds that the recycling program has changed and grown over time and is now an important fundraiser for the branch.
“The program is spearheaded by two amazing volunteers, Tom [Blom] and Jack [Selman],” King explained. “It’s really rewarding to see all of their hard work go directly back to our initiatives.”
"The National Volunteer Week theme for 2021, The Value of One, The Power of Many, reflects on the awe-inspiring acts of…
Posted by BC SPCA East Kootenay Branch on Monday, April 19, 2021
The East Kootenay SPCA branch currently has four volunteer positions open. They are looking for one person to help with bottle sorting, several in-shelter cat-care and wellness volunteers, volunteers for animal fostering and volunteers for the community Cat TNR program.
As for the bottle sorting, King says it’s more fun than it sounds.
“This volunteer role works under the direction of the lead recycling volunteers and offers flexible hours and a fun work environment. With a fancy sorting table and music box for tunes, it’s pretty much a party,” King said, adding that this is a great volunteer opportunity for students looking to complete volunteer hours before graduation.
The in-shelter cat-care volunteer role includes some basic cleaning, animal social time, and the opportunity to bond with some of the more reserved cats through behaviour modification.
Animal fostering is a work-from-home volunteer position.
“Foster parents care for BC SPCA animals in their own under the guidance of the branch staff. This position does require regular trips into the shelter and vet clinic as required,” King explained. “Our primary need is for kitten fosters for bottle babies and under socialized kittens and we have limited spots open for adult cats, dogs, and queens with kittens.”
The Community Cat TNR program supports the Trap Neuter Return program at the branch.
“These volunteers will work in the field to help safely trap feral cats, transport to veterinary clinic and back to the trapping location after they have been spayed or neutered,” said King. “This will sometimes be for single cats, or for larger colonies.”
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