Submitted by Creston Valley Gleaners Society
We are blessed to live in a community with so many non-profits and an amazing volunteer spirit.
Gleaners wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the 140 dedicated volunteers on our team! That is a staggering number, and you may wonder why so many? Well, there is a lot going on every day behind the scenes. Volunteers sort all the generous donations received from the community, get the items ready for sale by cleaning or testing to make sure that they work properly, price the items, put items on display in our stores, and run the tills. Not only that, volunteers also help operate the Food Bank by building food hampers and handing them out torecipients.
We have challenges ensuring we have enough volunteers to keep up with the bountiful donations. Much of our volunteer base are snowbirds, only available half the year. On top of that, the pandemic created its own special challenges. We have created ways to accommodate volunteers’ schedules and availability.
Volunteerism isn’t just about filling the organization’s needs. When people generously give their time, they have expectations of having their own needs met. That may be to socialize with people that share their values, to give back to their community, to get work experience for their resume, or to find purpose through their actions. We want Gleaners to be all that and more!
We recently celebrated our long-term volunteers, of which 15 have worked here for between 15 to 25 years! We applaud all the volunteers’ dedication and commitment. We are so incredibly grateful for their time, because without them, there would be no Gleaners. Happy Volunteer Week!
If you are interested in volunteering, we would love to talk to you and answer your questions. Please contact crestongleaners@gmail.com.
READ MORE: Tips from TAPS: Celebrating Our Volunteers