Volunteers are the heart of Bloordale
Volunteers are the life-blood of our organization. Without our volunteers, Bloordale Baseball would not exist. We have so many people who are front and centre, working with the kids at the park as coach, assistant coach, team manager, scorekeeper or parent helper. And there are also many people working behind the scenes taking care of the “business” side of things to make sure we have a strong foundation to build community baseball in what is the Bloordale Universe.
Last night (April 7) Bloordale hosted its Coaches’ Appreciation Night at the Canadiana Restaurant. How fitting was the timing of this event as Monday (April 10) marks the kick off of National Volunteer Week.
It was great to see so many community-minded individuals in one room, some meeting each other for the first time. But one thing was evident. No matter what our backgrounds we all had one thing in common beyond our interest in baseball: We all contribute to community for the betterment of the kids.
Thank you to all of Bloordale’s wonderful and dedicated volunteers. You are some of the best of the best.
Below is a copy of a letter from our local MPP, Donna Cansfieild addressed to Bloordale Baseball President Patrick McConnell. But it is a message for all of our volunteers. Read on.
Dear Patrick,
This year Canadians will be celebrating National Volunteer Week from April 10 to April 16. The theme is Volunteers. Passion. Action. Impact.
In Ontario, our government has been working with the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the not-for-profit sector on a strategy to create a stronger partnership with this sector. The Partnership Project Report notes that more than 5 million Ontarians volunteering with over 46,000 organizations donate over 820 million hours of their time to worthy causes in their communities. This is valued at the equivalent of 400,000 full time jobs.
As we celebrate Volunteer Week, I want to thank all the volunteers in my community who willingly donate their time and energy and to pay tribute to their commitment and contribution.
Please pass on my appreciation and thanks to all the volunteers within your organization who work to strengthen our community and improve the lives of others. They truly make a difference by helping to ensure that we have a strong recreational, cultural and social infrastructure.
Yours truly
Donna Cansfield MPP, Etobicoke Centre