# Your volunteer work --pre-retirement & in retirement



## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

What has it been, that was no pay?
Has it been for your professional association, child's sport team, shovelling someone's walk (since they aren't family members), etc.?

For moi:

For 2 professional associations I did belong --a chapter newsletter. For 2 years I also have published 4 times in a professional national journal over 15 yrs.
Literary arts & social issues quarterly magazine on work by Asian-Canadians - worked on planning issue themes, mail-outs (pre-Internet) to paid subscribers across North America, also published 1 small article. Magazine lasted for 8 years. Helped amass a literature search. I was interviewed about the history of this magazine recently. -- 4 years
National board member for race relations and immigrant service matters --meetings, event planning, fundraising. -4years
women's cycling group -- plan, lead group rides, sessions and conference on cycling skills, workshops on bike maintenance, touring, public education /awareness at annual Toronto bike show, and support Metro Toronto efforts on cycling advocacy for better infrastructure, safety education, etc. - 5 years
Metro Vancouver cycling advocacy -- I only helped out certain key large public events - Bike to Work Week
So now you who some of the faceless culprits for any of the above, might be: 

I learned alot in ways, I never would have learned in my jobs.. art of communication, advocacy and how to fuse mission/vision with planning and action. And made some great friends along the way, had alot of fun.

Right now, I'm a sludge. Not doin' anything yet.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

jlunfirst said:


> What has it been, that was no pay?


CMF 

Sure there is other stuff ... shoveling, snowblowing, jump starting (did one yesterday), etc ... but that's just daily life.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

cainvest said:


> CMF
> 
> Sure there is other stuff ... shoveling, snowblowing, jump starting (did one yesterday), etc ... but that's just daily life.


CMF=? 

I haven't done any volunteer work for past 13 yrs. Very sludgy. But then, I've had to cope with some life altering events since then.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

jlunfirst said:


> CMF=?


? = Canadian Money Forum


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

cainvest said:


> ? = Canadian Money Forum


 I'm not here long enough: my excuse not interpreting acronyms.
Very valuable volunteer role, cainvestor.

In the other non-Canadian Money Forum, where I am, there was a period of shutting down perceived political threads.

However over there, because we've been participating for well over 5-10 yrs., some members have died, some this year (or last 18 months) had major surgery/sicknesses or their loved got something/died, so members have come to appreciate just for what the member is as a "character" but real ...with photos sometimes. Some have moved states and then announce their new life, etc. Yes, as mentioned earlier, there are in-person visits amongst members across U.S.-Canada border or travelling across regions, as a side visit. There are surprise gifts to wish a member better health, etc.

Bikes /cycling has become an flimsy excuse ...for other topics. But true, there is real bike expertise on geometry, models, componenets and cycling skills. Not racing near a la Tour de France level, though rare person has competed locally. I personally enjoy walking into and browsing around in bike shops, when I am a tourist if I happen to be in the neighbourhood...anywhere in the world. Many of the other forum members do as well. We drool over photos of decent bikes.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

So no one has other volunteer activities at this time? Some folks of course with children, it's just demanding time in life. I am the only one in my family that has done a certain amount of volunteer work outside of my profession/ in personal time. 

I am aware a sister volunteered in the classroom when her children were younger. She did squeeze it in with her paid job (as a physician), because I think she really wanted understand how each of her children was absorbing info./behaving with other peers.


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## Retired Peasant (Apr 22, 2013)

I'm sure many folks volunteer; maybe they don't like virtue signalling 'cause um.. yeah, that's not why they volunteer.


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## MrBlackhill (Jun 10, 2020)

jlunfirst said:


> What has it been, that was no pay?


Both me and my wife work full-time and we have a 1.5 year old baby. But I do volunteering about once a week, I go get the grocery list of a low-income elder, go get their stuff and bring it to them. Whole process takes about 1h30 to 2h.

I also do some volunteering once in a while in food banks.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

jlunfirst said:


> So no one has other volunteer activities at this time?


Between helping friends on their projects and my own projects/leisure activities I honestly don't have much extra time. I normally help out others I find in my activity groups when needed. I have helped a number of people improve their motorcycle skills over the years.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Retired Peasant said:


> I'm sure many folks volunteer; maybe they don't like virtue signalling 'cause um.. yeah, that's not why they volunteer.


I hope people didn't interpret what I have listed in the past as this type of signalling. It would be disappointing and we all shut up tight in our own little world.

The work reflects more of part of my personal interests...besides blogging, cycling, etc. Interesting, if many people would even read into that as virtue signalling. In this forum, I see more "getting to know the members a bit more". Which by the way, I am aware, I might be different enough from some folks here.

But that's ok. This is why the topic is under retirement though we know volunteering isn't confined to retired folks.

I am aware for the other forum where I participate, members are more free to mention their other interests/volunteer work.. not everyone but some. Diving, scout leader, baseball coach for son's team, etc.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

MrBlackhill said:


> Both me and my wife work full-time and we have a 1.5 year old baby. But I do volunteering about once a week, I go get the grocery list of a low-income elder, go get their stuff and bring it to them. Whole process takes about 1h30 to 2h.
> 
> I also do some volunteering once in a while in food banks.


Great you somehow squeeze in time.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

I prioritize donating blood, because I am O Negative.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

andrewf said:


> I prioritize donating blood, because I am O Negative.


I can't remember my blood type. Anyway I can't donate blood..given my age @63 and I'm around 100 lbs. I'm small and have had various conditions of anaemia / low iron throughout my adult life. I've only donated blood twice in my life and that was 25 yrs. ago.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

No shame for not donating blood. There are myriad reasons why people can't. But for people who can, it is a minor inconvenience and minimal discomfort. Canada Blood Services lays it on thick for O Neg folks because they are only ~7% of the population and are the universal donor, so the blood is always needed for trauma care or where there is not enough time to determine blood type before a transfusion. Somewhat more selfishly, O negative blood type can only receive O negative blood so it is in our interest to ensure there is enough available.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

andrewf said:


> No shame for not donating blood. There are myriad reasons why people can't. But for people who can, it is a minor inconvenience and minimal discomfort. Canada Blood Services lays it on thick for O Neg folks because they are only ~7% of the population and are the universal donor, so the blood is always needed for trauma care or where there is not enough time to determine blood type before a transfusion. Somewhat more selfishly, O negative blood type can only receive O negative blood so it is in our interest to ensure there is enough available.


My spouse is also O negative too and used to donate blood until he had some blood abnormality which he was not longer allowed to donate. I have always wanted to donate blood, but being needle phobic, has prevented me from doing it. Every time I have gone, I sadly had a panic attack and end up donating money. Donating blood is on my bucket list to overcome.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

jlunfirst said:


> So no one has other volunteer activities at this time? Some folks of course with children, it's just demanding time in life. I am the only one in my family that has done a certain amount of volunteer work outside of my profession/ in personal time.
> 
> I am aware a sister volunteered in the classroom when her children were younger. She did squeeze it in with her paid job (as a physician), because I think she really wanted understand how each of her children was absorbing info./behaving with other peers.


I consider my family incredibly fortunate and try to instill giving back and community service as part of our values. Most of my volunteer work is focused on my kids as they are currently my top priority while they are still at home. My main volunteerism is through my kids activities. I have a leader for their Girl Guides units, which takes up a night every week, plus planning, preparation, and then the forsaken weekend camps which take up an equivalent of a week of my time. That's my regular on going volunteering. I have been doing it for 12 years, and when my kids are out, I will probably take on a different role, as it's a great organization. Girl Guides itself has a whole section on community service, so there are some organizations we support through our activities. Some of the thing my kids volunteer with (which mean I am helping or supervising are)
- They are Jr leaders themselves and volunteer for the younger branches and provide mentorship and assistance (so like me, but at a smaller level) on a weekly basis
There other organizations that we like to support so we try and tie our donations/volunteerism with our other activities. We do person donates of goods, and money, and will run drives or volunteer at the organization on occasion, or use it an activity for our Girl Guides. 

Food bank - we do collections and donation often and try to help sort and volunteer about once a year
Reading Organization: My girls, organize a community, school, Girls Guide book drive for local organization that promotes reading and has a large book sale. They also go and help sort fo the fundraising sale. Last year, was insane because we had store books from the year before when they didn't have the drive, and ended up bringing hundreds of books in a truck.
Clothing drives for a charity that helps women and their sister organization teens cloth for work and school. We do an annual collection drive along volunteering at the centre to help sort when we bring in stuff.
Women's shelter & children's crisis cottage: we do a drive every few years. This is my oldest's favority charity as she is a teen ambassodor. She managed to raise almost $1000 and load pick up truckloads for one of her drives.


Other things we do, we help local families where we can. Often we see too many posts on FB for people requiring help. I will do alot of coordination between people just because seem to ask me where they can stuff. Like I said in a previous post, most the stuff I do isn't official, but we help out where we can. I actually don't like all the organizations with all their red tape, so we just quietly help.


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## Gator13 (Jan 5, 2020)

MrBlackhill said:


> Both me and my wife work full-time and we have a 1.5 year old baby. But I do volunteering about once a week, I go get the grocery list of a low-income elder, go get their stuff and bring it to them. Whole process takes about 1h30 to 2h.
> 
> I also do some volunteering once in a while in food banks.


Very kind of you to do that. I am sure the elder person is extremely appreciative.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Plugging Along said:


> My spouse is also O negative too and used to donate blood until he had some blood abnormality which he was not longer allowed to donate. I have always wanted to donate blood, but being needle phobic, has prevented me from doing it. Every time I have gone, I sadly had a panic attack and end up donating money. Donating blood is on my bucket list to overcome.


For my occasional blood tests at the lab as part of my medical physical check-up: it's enough they draw blood from me briefly. I can't look when they do it.

It was a big step for me to get my lst covid vaccination. By not looking. Sometimes the health care professional would be talking something gently. You can tell by the pros who was accustomed to sticking in the needle in patients many times.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Plugging Along said:


> Other things we do, we help local families where we can. Often we see too many posts on FB for people requiring help. I will do alot of coordination between people just because seem to ask me where they can stuff. Like I said in a previous post, most the stuff I do isn't official, but we help out where we can. I actually don't like all the organizations with all their red tape, so we just quietly help.


Our organization requires criminal checks for volunteers working with children. Sad, but I support it.

By the way, my job type required a criminal check contingent before hire. And I don't work with the public. But handle a wide range of internal info.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

jlunfirst said:


> Our organization requires criminal checks for volunteers working with children. Sad, but I support it.
> 
> By the way, my job type required a criminal check contingent before hire. And I don't work with the public. But handle a wide range of internal info.


I for sure support criminal checks for those that work/volunteer with kids and the vulnerable. That isn't the problem for me, it's extra red tape and paperwork I have to go through to get things done. I needed TWO separate police checks within the same year, one for the school and one for Girl Guides. Even the police station was like can you do it at the same time. Except Girl Guides had to request it separately. This was really inefficient. This last time around it was better, and they accepted my CPR/First aid for both places. 

When I mean red tape, sometimes the organizations helping others have so many steps it's really challenging for people to get help. I understand it's to reduce abuse to the system, but sometimes the processes take so long that people give up or don't think about until it's too late, and it's really not that late. An example is Christmas hampers. many hampers require that you put your name in mid-November because it takes that long to go through the system and find families to adopt them. However, part of the vetting process is insane. I have just gone out and bought a whole bunch of things for random families that have asked on my community fb. Yeah, they could be scamming (I have seen a couple), but generally they need it. 

The rules I have had to follow for donating MY time and money is sometimes too much so, I have just gone help those I feel like it in the way I want to.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Plugging Along said:


> When I mean red tape, sometimes the organizations helping others have so many steps it's really challenging for people to get help. I understand it's to reduce abuse to the system, but sometimes the processes take so long that people give up or don't think about until it's too late, and it's really not that late. An example is Christmas hampers. many hampers require that you put your name in mid-November because it takes that long to go through the system and find families to adopt them. However, part of the vetting process is insane. I have just gone out and bought a whole bunch of things for random families that have asked on my community fb. Yeah, they could be scamming (I have seen a couple), but generally they need it.
> 
> The rules I have had to follow for donating MY time and money is sometimes too much so, I have just gone help those I feel like it in the way I want to.


I guess the organizations I've volunteered are helping in a different way: helping adults, or adults with children or raising public awareness and understanding. Or organizations participating to provide feedback to govn't modify their programs and services to serve various groups better. Ultimately it is for improved community identification, mental health and physical well-being/fitness which contributes to a stronger, healthier society at large where the individual is empowered to participate more equally and become the very best of themselves positively.

It is not just teaching the person how to fish, but also how to help them steer the boat for themselves....and even teach others how to help steer/support others. For some of us, given some life experiences (some learned with much difficulty), we already have such gifts to offer. My current job already is part of that. Train the trainer to empower others.


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## Gothenburg83 (Dec 30, 2021)

andrewf said:


> I prioritize donating blood, because I am O Negative.


I did in UK but because I lived in UK during "mad cow" disease I am not allowed to give blood in Canada for fear I have Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)


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## twa2w (Mar 5, 2016)

I think many people volunteer but don't want to make a thing about it. And many likely do it in little bits here and there instead of a longer commitment.

I have worked at a foodbank, done many charity rides/runs if those count (fundraisers for charities), been in Clubs like Kinsmen that built playgrounds, raised money and other community supports, been director of an aboriginal group home for teenagers, worked as a volunteer ski patroller for some years, on the board of Jr B Hockey team and helped with coaching, working on one of my employer's aboriginal initiatives, run a ski club, and am on the board of a major ski sale that supports skiing related not-for-profits, coached youth soccer etc.

Then there are the little things many don't think about or don't remember. These are taking a day or part day here or there to help some group out. Some I can think of - helping a group paint and renovate a group home for teenage mothers, working at charity casinos for various groups, cleaning up parks for some group I don't remember, helping build Mtn bike trails for another group, doing audits or financial reviews on not-for-profits financial statements, helping school PTA plant trees and clean up the playground and so on. And in the smaller communities - work bees to build a barn or shed or help out a local who suffered a disability. Taught financial literacy classes to local schools. Likely 3-10 days a year of just one-offs helping out groups or individuals - over the past 45 years or so.

The little one-offs are just as important as being involved on a board or other longer-term commitments. Many groups need short-term help with a small or big project, and you meet great people, have fun, and sometimes learn a new skill or enhance an old one.
Many hands make light work, as they say.


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## nathan79 (Feb 21, 2011)

You guys must have a lot of energy, or you're constantly exhausted from doing all that extra stuff. 

Typical work week for me is anywhere between 36 and 60 hrs, but usually on the longer end of that range.

Then you have to add in other things, like grocery shopping, cleaning, maintaining the car and doing other necessary chores around the home. Then there's taking care of pets (or children, if you have those instead).

I spend a lot of time helping my mother as well, since she doesn't have anyone else to help her with stuff. I guess that could be considered volunteering? 

After doing all this, I feel like I barely have time for hobbies/sleep.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

nathan79 said:


> You guys must have a lot of energy, or you're constantly exhausted from doing all that extra stuff.
> 
> Typical work week for me is anywhere between 36 and 60 hrs, but usually on the longer end of that range.
> 
> ...


Helping mother is invaluable. Kudos!

I'm impressed by twa2w and very true, volunteer work might be episodic rather than something organized according to an event, volunteer role + set activities, etc.


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## Eclectic21 (Jun 25, 2021)

jlunfirst said:


> What has it been, that was no pay?


Shoveled walks, help dig car stuck in snow out (many times as this is Canada!!), collected for food bank, organised as well as worked on building a community centre in central america, sorted food several times at food banks, helped immigrants with their first several tax returns, cleaned up leaves at various properties, organised social gatherings for clubs/co-workers/friends, gave rides to people who needed it, visited seniors homes as an individual as well as on special occasions as part of a choir, invited foreign students for dinners/social events and brought school supplies to schools in need.

I am sure I am forgetting other things done.

I will see what happens in retirement.


Cheers


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

When I was working I did not do much volunteering due to work and work related travel. I moved to an area that was changing from an old commercial-industrial area to a mixed use area with residential, retail and commercial uses. I took an active role in improving the community, serving on the residents' association, the community-police group and as a director at my condo. We drove good results by bringing together business and community organizations with police, politicians and bureaucrats. It's an elusive combination of goals, niceness and persistence that gets things done. It's frustrating because a lot of those problems never really get solved, just squeezed from one area to another.

Since retiring I have volunteered in areas that interest me. I am a cycling instructor with the CANBIKE program. I cut the grass and do yard work at a local church. I do income tax returns with CRA's _Community Volunteer Income Tax Program_ (_CVITP_), and I also teach the income tax course. I was on the trail development committee for the local mountain biking club, but that was just too hard for these old bones (and muscles). The cycling and income tax volunteering are mentally challenging. which I hope will keep my brain healthy.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

GreatLaker said:


> When I was working I did not do much volunteering due to work and work related travel. I moved to an area that was changing from an old commercial-industrial area to a mixed use area with residential, retail and commercial uses. I took an active role in improving the community, serving on the residents' association, the community-police group and as a director at my condo. We drove good results by bringing together business and community organizations with police, politicians and bureaucrats. It's an elusive combination of goals, niceness and persistence that gets things done. It's frustrating because a lot of those problems never really get solved, just squeezed from one area to another.
> 
> Since retiring I have volunteered in areas that interest me. I am a cycling instructor with the CANBIKE program. I cut the grass and do yard work at a local church. I do income tax returns with CRA's _Community Volunteer Income Tax Program_ (_CVITP_), and I also teach the income tax course. I was on the trail development committee for the local mountain biking club, but that was just too hard for these old bones (and muscles). The cycling and income tax volunteering are mentally challenging. which I hope will keep my brain healthy.


Another regular cyclist! Which part of CAnada? My partner was heavily involved in volunteer cycling advocacy in VAncouver (the Hub formerly the VAncouver Cycling Coalition) and Toronto (he worked with Jack Layton on 1 of the committees) for 25 years. Yes, I used bike around with him, when he was scouting out ideal routes for future cycling pathways and bike lanes.


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