WINDSOR, N.S. — They don’t do it for the recognition, but they’re going to get some anyway.
Dozens of volunteers, their friends and family gathered at the Hants County War Memorial Community Centre in Windsor on April 10 to take a moment to thank them for all of their hard work.
Many received gifts and certificates from members of Windsor and West Hants councils, and were thanked for their service to the community. Award recipients were nominated by organizations in the community as well as members of the public.
Chick Martin from Brooklyn was being honoured along with his wife Dorothy for the work they do with the Hants Community Hospital Foundation, which they’ve been actively involved with for many years.
He started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters approximately 30 years ago and eventually moved on to other organizations including the Royal Canadian Legion, Dykeland Lodge and more.
But it became a passion for him when he decided to volunteer for the Canadian Cancer Society after losing his son to the disease.
“That made me really want to give back,” Martin said. “It just kept going from there.”
One of the great things about getting involved, Martin said, is getting to know so many people in the community.
“The more you do, the more people want you to do, which is great,” he said.
Martin said the Windsor-West Hants region has such a robust base of volunteers because a lot of people were just brought up to help out.
“There are a lot of people too who weren’t born here, but have put down roots, and it’s a way for them to get established in an area, and you need that kind of thing,” he said. “Hantsport, for example, is a wonderful community full of fresh ideas because of that.”
Volunteering also just feels good, he added.
“I just couldn’t see myself not doing this,” he said. “It’s great to see these people recognized tonight, even though nobody really wants that. They just do it.”
