Volunteers will be always be needed

BARRHEAD-Barrhead and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) volunteer coordinator Ros Rudd say the community is built on the work of generations of volunteers.

And although she is confident that will always be the case Rudd isn't sure what form that volunteerism will be.

The Town and Country This Week reached out to Rudd to find out what impact the coronavirus pandemic has had for volunteers in the community.

Barrhead's FCSS is a not-for-profit society and as such requires several volunteers when its programming is in full swing. FCSS and Rudd specifically is the place other organizations often go to when they are looking for volunteers.

Originally she said there was some concern that organizations would have troubles finding volunteers.

Rudd noted the majority of volunteers tend to be people who are no longer in the workforce, i.e. seniors one of the populations most at risk from the virus and therefore would be more hesitant to volunteer.

She noted many service organizations were worried that they would also see a flood of people looking for their services due to people losing their source of income due to the pandemic.

"It hasn't been too much of an issue. There isn't a large call for volunteers right now," she said, noting the majority of organizations, that usually need volunteers have had to drastically curtail their operations.

"Including FCSS," Rudd said, giving the example of the food bank.

Normally, the food bank requires several volunteers to do everything from sorting and organizing donations to creating and distributing hampers.

However, due to COVID-19, the food bank has been forced to limit donations to financial only due to physical distancing restrictions and that they can't sanitize every item that comes in their doors.

The same physical distancing considerations are in play when clients pick up their hampers. Since FCSS has closed its doors to the public food bank clients are given a window in which they can pick up their hamper. It is then delivered to the awaiting client who loads it into their vehicle thus eliminating direct contact as well as the number of volunteers.

Rudd added that although currently there isn't a shortage of volunteers that may soon change as the province slowly relaunches the economy there will be inevitably people who will fall through the crack especially as some of the temporary COVID-19 financial aid programs begin to run out and charities and other not-for-profit organizations will be called upon to pick up the slack.

However, she said the pandemic may change the way people volunteer.

"Will there be more opportunities to volunteer virtually while in isolation or on the phone? Things are going to change, how we just don't know yet," Rudd said.

To help people who want to volunteer, FCSS is in the process of becoming a member of Alberta Cares Volunteer Connector-a Calgary-based charity that helps connect volunteers with organizations.

"Volunteers make Barrhead what is and just because the way we volunteer or the type of volunteers that are needed change there they will always be needed. And I'm confident Barrhead residents will be there to step up because it has always been a very generous community," she said.

For more information about volunteer opportunities in the Barrhead area contact Rudd at FCSS at 780-674-3341.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com

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