鈥淚t鈥檚 something everybody should try.鈥�
Longtime Salmon Arm resident and volunteer Nancy Kurta is encouraging others to get involved and give back to the community.
鈥淲e always need volunteers and there鈥檚 always a shortage. The ones that are volunteering are getting older,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a good run of volunteering and think that other people should have the pleasure.鈥�
Kurta got started in volunteering at 13 after joining a 4-H sewing club started by two women despite not having daughters of their own. Their mentorship inspired her to also give back, which she did through everything from Brownies and Boy Scouts, to the Canadian Royal Purple, to softball coaching and everything in between in her 88 years. She joked that later, while raising her four children, volunteering was a way for her to get out of the house and socialize with other adults.
With that extensive background in volunteering, Kurta said the most memorable part was 鈥渉appy kids.鈥�
鈥淰olunteering is... it takes time but it鈥檚 also very rewarding,鈥� she added. 鈥淵ou make lots of friendships and do interesting things.鈥�
Kurta particularly encourages younger people to get involved 鈥渂ecause our older ones are wearing out.鈥� She added that had she not spent time volunteering, there would have been a void in her life.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a labour of love. It鈥檚 fun, it takes work, but it鈥檚 rewarding,鈥� she said. 鈥淭ry it, you鈥檒l like it.鈥�
