Seniors Volunteerism - News
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Christmas at an Elliot Lake seniors care facility
The Elliot Lake Seniors Skills Database Project is an initiative to encourage seniors to volunteer in their community. As part of the project, the DiversityCanada Foundation supported the volunteer organization Christian Neighbours in Deed in its Christmas campaign, which brought out senior volunteers to share yuletide cheer to residents of Elliot Lake's long term care facilities, St Joseph's Manor and Huron Lodge. Here are some highlights.
Christmas at St Joseph's Manor:
Volunteer with Christian Neighbours In Deed (CNID) 705-461-8385 -> Frances VanMil (Director) 705-848-5212 -> Huguette Cheff (Co-ordinator) bcheff@elliotlakerealestate.ca Make sure you put "Attention: Huguette CNID" in the subject line
Volunteer Opportunity Fair & Community Variety Show, Sep 16, 2006
On Saturday, September 16, 2006, the DiversityCanada Foundation held its second Volunteer Opportunity Fair at the Renaissance Seniors Center. Some 20 community organizations came out to spread the word on their work and to meet Elliot Lake seniors who are interested in volunteering their time and talents. The event was coupled with a Community Varierty Show in which seniors and some younger performers, showcased their talent.
DiversityCanada Foundation Executive Director Celia Sankar closes the program.
DiversityCanada Foundation is offering a free breakfast at the Renaissance Seniors' Centre
On Tuesday, August 22, beginning at 8:45 am, the DiversityCanada Foundation is offering a free breakfast at the Renaissance Seniors' Centre. The main purpose of the event is to explain the Seniors Skills Database project and to encourage seniors to participate in further activities, including a variety show and volunteer fair to be held in the fall.
Those attending the breakfast are asked to fill in the database registration form, available at the Centre and at the Foundation. Although the project and breakfast are targeted towards seniors, anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about the Foundation's work is welcome to attend.
The project as a whole aims to harness the wisdom of local residents by creating a database of their skills, talents, and areas of expertise, and to promote the active participation of seniors in community life through volunteerism.
The DiversityCanada Foundation's first Volunteer Opportunity Fair was held June 24 at Collins Hall. Some 17 organizations participated by setting up displays, answering questions about their mandates and opportunities, and signing up volunteers of all ages. Highlights from that event can also be viewed at the website.
Volunteer Opportunity Fair & Ventriloquist Show, June 24, 2006
On Saturday, June 24, 2006, the DiversityCanada Foundation held its first Volunteer Opportunity Fair at Collins Hall. Close to 20 community organizations came out to showcase their work and to meet Elliot Lake seniors who are interested in volunteering their time and talents. The event culminated with a Ventriloquist Show during which vocal illusionist and funnyman Mark Crocker had members of the audience laughing till they cried.
Musical Artist: Giovanni Matamoros
DiversityCanada setting up seniors' volunteer database, June 7, 2006
By KEVIN McSHEFFREY of The Standard
Many seniors in Elliot Lake have skills that can be passed on and a local organization is looking to do just that. Celia Sankar, founder and executive director of the DiversityCanada Foundation, says they are compiling a seniors' skills database and would like anyone in the city over the age of 50 who has skills to register.
"(We're looking) for any and every skill, anything that they know how to do and can pass on," says Sankar.
"The seniors' skills database is not only intended for the DiversityCanada Foundation, but for any organization in Elliot Lake that is looking for volunteers."
She says they decided to create such a database after they asked around the city where they could find volunteers to help in the office as well as coach and mentor DiversityCanada's interns, but to no avail.
"Apart from calling up everyone in the phone book and asking them to volunteer, there is no way to know who has skills they can share with us or the ones interested to share with us."
Other groups were also looking for volunteers, but couldn't find any either.
"It's a need with many organizations, to know who is willing to volunteer in Elliot Lake and what skills they offer."
Sankar says they would like to include a wide range of skills in the database, everything from knitting to preparing and serving meals to retired business people.
"Different organizations have different needs. "Some organizations might need someone to teach a knitting class, to prepare meals or to clean up in a kitchen, right up to someone who has experience in running a business and can mentor young business people in managing an enterprise."
They have also seen the opposite. Some people new to the city would like to be involved in their new community, but they don't know what opportunities are available or who to contact, says Sankar.
They have already started collecting names for the database and hope to get 200 to 300 names.
The database would contain such information as contact numbers, skills, work experience, skills outside of the workplace and availability. Sankar adds that the time those interested in being part of the database would want to give is up to them.
"Even if they can give only 30 minutes a month, then we would want to know that, and we would be happy to match them with a volunteer opportunity that allows them to serve within their capacity."
The information in the database will not be available to everyone.
Sankar says while the information will be available to other groups and possibly some businesses needing volunteers, it will be accessible only to the registered organizations' designated officials.
"It's important that our community has this resources so each one of us can chip in and make it a more sparkling jewel in the wilderness," says Sankar.
On June 24, DiversityCanada will host a volunteer opportunity fair to show what they have available. But some details have to be finalized. A separate story will appear in The Standard in the near future on the fair.
There is no registration fee for the volunteers or the organizations. The project is being funded by Services Canada under its New Horizons for Seniors program.
Anyone who wanted to register for the seniors skills database can call DiversityCanada at 848-6194.
DiversityCanada setting up seniors' volunteer database, June 21, 2006

Giovanni Jacob Matamoros
Giovanni Jacob Matamoros, an intern at DiversityCanada and a classical Spanish guitarist, will entertain the public at the Volunteer Opportunities Fair on Saturday.
By KEVIN McSHEFFREY of The Standard
DiversityCanada's Volunteer Opportunities Fair and Ventriloquist Show will be held on June 24 at the Collins Hall in Elliot Lake.
The event will be in two parts, says Celia Sankar, founder and executive director of the DiversityCanada Foundation. The first part will run from 4 to 6 p.m., and will have about 30 clubs, organizations, not-for-profit groups and a few businesses with booths that are seeking volunteers. The groups will provide information on what they are looking for. There will also be background entertainment during the first part of the fair. A classical Spanish guitarist, Giovanni Jacob Matamoros - an intern at DiversityCanada's office who is from Nicaragua, will perform.
Part two is major entertainment. A ventriloquist show with Mark Crocker will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Crocker was a hit at the Elliot Lake and District Chamber of Commerce's annual Excellence in Business Awards in February.
While there is no charge to attend the volunteer opportunities fair, there is a fee to take in the ventriloquist show. The fee is $5, but for those who have registered as volunteers there is no charge.
"It's a fun session," says Sankar.
The volunteer opportunities fair is to encourage retired Elliot Lake residents to sign up for DiversityCanada's seniors' skills database. It is not only intended for the DiversityCanada Foundation,b ut for any organization in Elliot Lake that is looking for volunteers.
Sankar says they opted to create such a database after they scoured the city looking got volunteers to help in the office as well as coach and mentor DiversityCanada's interns, but could not find any.
Sankar says they would like to include a wide range of skills in the database, everything from knitting to preparing and serving meals to retired business people.
The database would contain such information as contact numbers, skills, work experience, skills outside of the workplace and availability.
Sankar says they hope to get between 200 and 300 names in the database.
"We like as many as we can get. Many hands will make lighter work for all of the volunteers who are currently doing so much for their community," adds Sankar.
The project is being funded by Services Canada under its New Horizons for Seniors program.
Anyone who wants to register for the seniors skills database can call DiversityCanada at 848-6194 or attend the fair.
Elliot Lake Seniors Skills Database Project
The Elliot Lake Seniors Skills Database Project is an initiative to collect information from seniors wishing to volunteer and to compile a database about their unique skills, talents, and experiences. Once this is complete, the DiversityCanada Foundation will be able to facilitate the matching of senior volunteers with volunteer opportunities within our organization and within other organizations in our community.