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8--The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, April 29, 2003 6ù16Aui Volunteer Week ,,Vounteering in full swing at seniors' centre By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion It's a busy Wednesday at the Milton Seniors' Activity Centre. The clamnour of voices and the smell of roast beef with ail the trimn- mings leak mnto the hall, drawing visi- tors - like myseif - into the dining area. Inside, the atmosphere resembles a huge fami- Iy reunion, with friends enjoying their meals at round tables and iaugbter bouncing off the walls. Ail this happmness - the smiles, tbe joking, the full stomacbs and Iooscned beits - wouldn't exist esithout the generosity of the centre's sen- ior volunteers. This week is Volunteer Week, a week designed to honour volunteers wbo've given so mucb of tbemselves and to educate thc general public about tbe benefits of voiuntcerism. Tbere's no better way 60 do this than to take a peck at thse seniors' centre. And tbere's perbape no better person 60 talk to about the benefits of volunteering than Hilda McKinley. As a child, Ms McKinley said she dreamed of being a teacher. Now, at thc age of 80, tbat dreain bas finally corne truc - through ber volunteer- ing. Ms McKinley teaches thc computer class at Uic seniors' centre. "It's something useful Uiat 1 like t0 do," Ms McKinley said, taking a break from ber meal. 1I wanted 60 be a teacher when 1 was a kid but 1 wasn't, so now I've fmnally fulfild Uiat dream." Ms McKinley is one of almost 270 seniors wbo volunteer at the seniors' centre in various capacities, donating anything from one 60 20 bours eacb weck. For somne, it's a littie someUiing to get Uiemn out of Uic bouse eacb week. For others, it's Uic equivalent of a fuli-tune job. For almost every one of Uiemn, it's soneUimg Uiey wouldn't dreain of giving up. Nobody knows tbis better tban Tammy Corless, Uic cenlre's recreation supervisor. The centre, Ms Corless explained, bas more Uian 50 différent programs. There's someUiing for just about everyone, from Uiose interested in singing t0 dancing t0 crafts. Ail Uiese prograins are able 60 fuanction .wiUi just a bandful of paid staff members, she said, Uianks 60 Uie bclp of volunteers. The centre's volunteer structure is composcd of an advisory board of directors and sub-comi- mincees sucb as Uic special events committee. Voluntcering is beneficial for Uie giver as well as Uic receiver, Ms Corlese said. "I believe it gives tbcm socialization - a cbance t0 mnteract with oUier seniors and ges involvcd," sbe said. Having positive seif-estecin and being pbysi- cally active are other advantages 60 volunteer- ing, Ms Corless said. Most volunteers begin as prograin participants and then decide 60 become mnvolvcd on a deeper level, ebe said. Now more Uian ever, volunteers sbould bc cbcrisbcd, Ms Corless said. "Everybody's baving a bard turne gctting vol- unteers, bccause people are so busy. Even witb seniors, tbcy're caring for their grandcbildren or taking advantage of Uicir tinie off 60 go travel- ling.", Down Uie ball, a dozen or so senior womcn sit bcading, crocbeting and knitting as part of Uic Creative Fingers Craft Club. Jean Churcbill bas led Uic program with Mary Lou Grabamn for Uic past five or six ycars. Ms Cburcbill said sbc loves Uic companion- sbip Uiat cornes wiUi Uic job, wbile anoUier woman from Uie oUier side of Uic roomn quippcd that it's a great way 60 get out of bouscwork. Creative Fingers is beld Mondays and Wednesdays at Uic centre, and for Ms Cburcbill, these momnings take priority over almost any- Uiing cisc. "I fit my work at bome in bctwcen Monday and Wcdnesday momnings," sbe said, joking Uiat even if sbc wanted 60, sbe couldn't get out of ber work at Uic centre -. "I'd bave 60 stop doing a good job." Wbat docs she like about convening Uic pro- grain? "TMe power," sbe said, iaugbing. Ms Graham, wbo bas been retired for 10 ycars, said sbc began coming 60 Uic seniors' cen- tre 60 get out of Uic bouse, and Uien began vol- untecring. Sbe docs it simply because "Il enjoy people," sbe said. Back in Uic luncb room, it isn't difficuit 60 get June Pinneil 60 talk about ber expericnces vol- unteering. Ms Pinneli, a long-time Milton resi- dent, bas been a reception voiuntcer, a trips co- ordinator and a well-wisbcr responsible for mailing out carda and greetinga 60 centre mcm- bers. 1I furstjoincd in 1988, and Uiey askcd me if I'd belp put on a bizarre," sbe said. "16 cvolvcd from Uiere." T7he greatcst satisfaction sbc gets is "giving back (60 Uie commuunity) and being among peo- pIc - except Tammy," sbc said, in ber usual back-and-forth ficndly banter wiUi Ms Corlcss. Turring more serious sbe said, 'Tvc made some wondcrful friends since joining, wbo bave been wiUi me Uirougb lots of difficuit turnes." To seniors wbo bave even casually considcrcd volunteering a6 Uic centre, abe said: "Get your rear end in bere and do someUiing." For more information about voluntcering wiUi Uie Milton Seniors' Activity Centre, cail Tammny Corlessa t (905) 875-168 1. Stephanie Thiessen can be reached ai sthiessen@milboncanadiancaampion.com. ,eà om ww itnw \vi Ir Programming Schedule - Tuesday, April 29h - Monday, May 5th, 2003 www.cogeco.ca 5,6 & 7:0 SPs Rge In! taf Week Eàac "rT t & 7pm Pte n! Early Week EMMs 5 & tpen Pked In! Eady WeeS Eàceo 55 & 7:30pni P5agged In! Laie W* E&ma 5:0xs Phs6eO In! Laie Week Edise NORTH HALTON STUDIO 5:30pm Sos S6r9oe 5 26PM Kid C«Mchm 5:30pns Osier HeaS C«esceo 5. »Mp Faces Ufo omi mrt Awars 5:3P Faces MdWs Cssssuay Awards Lasser Plaza ihe " * 6:3pis 3onwTV U p 630p Swap Talk (Li") t:30s KM Sset 63t»M SensseSFscase t:0p 10:m Gyg& ssTV ncis twp Habis Hés CasS (Ape 2B) ti00s tiss Cuda (Ape 28) 8itaPe TBA 7 00s Osier Haf onc 5nbudsjer Avenue e%:MkA mmPIUW De Vam Sss Mikon, ON L9T 4R3 î, 905-878-9306 R;