A community of neighbours
Gerry Martiniuk, Guest Column, Cambridge Times

Many years ago, my wife and I left Toronto and chose to come to this community to raise a family. It was a choice I have never regretted.

Big cities seem to be full of strangers, while in smaller communities there are no strangers, just neighbours. Shortly after moving here we purchased an Old English sheep dog that always seemed to magically escape from our fenced backyard. I would get phone calls at the office from all over the area to the effect that your dog, or Dudley, is walking west on King Street or north on Concession. Those calls and the many invitations to join worthwhile volunteer organizations instantly made us feel a part of a caring community.

At one time or another, I personally served with St. John Ambulance, Trinity Community Table, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, the United Way and a Rotary Club among others. And though life seems to have sped up and today many young parents are both working outside of the home while raising families, the people of Cambridge still find time to contribute to the betterment of our community. That sacrifice of our most precious commodity – time – is our greatest strength.

If you are not presently involved with a volunteer group and wish to join the thousands of volunteers in our community, you can find out about volunteer opportunities by calling the United Way of Cambridge and North Dumfries at 621-1030 or online at www.uwcambridge.on.ca .

When it comes to giving of their time, volunteers in our community have a wide variety of agencies to choose from and each provides a sense of making a difference. I believe all volunteer organizations are worthwhile. To witness the good work of volunteers in our community, look to the hundreds of volunteers who chose to make the days easier for persons suffering from terminal afflictions by visiting them in their time of need. What a wondrous gift. As well, there are men and women who give their precious time to in effect temporarily “adopt” children of one-parent families to ensure the influence of both men and women in those children’s lives. A gift that lasts a lifetime. As we are all aware, our local hospital could not operate as effectively as it does without the assistance of hundreds of volunteers. A gift to those in need.

In this festive season I know we all appreciate how fortunate we are as Canadians and how important is our privilege to help those less fortunate. The rewards enjoyed by volunteers in our community are immeasurable and everlasting.

I wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Gerry Martiniuk is the Member of Provincial Parliament for Cambridge and North Dumfries.