SASKATOON -- 2023 represented many changes for our family. One of the more notable ones was the change of position for myself both as a reporter and as a Unity community ambassador and dedicated volunteer.
Our move to Saskatoon meant I was now a freelance reporter. My bio on SASKTODAY.ca noted, “The Unity Press-Hearld readership area has so many great stories to tell and I am happy to be part of the team that brings all of these terrific tales to our readers.”
Marketing has been one of my strengths and I believe, when writing any community’s stories, we are marketing all that is great about the places we live and the people who live there.
I feel the same with volunteering with any community as it offers an opportunity to showcase a community’s stories and strengths.
In the moving and transition period, I never thanked the many of you who stopped by the office or sent me a message saying you would miss the commitment I made to people, places, spaces and activities both in my writing and as a volunteer, so thank you for your kind words.
While I still am in touch with my Press-Herald community contacts and passing on stories to the Unity office for follow-up, I also still freelance approved stories for the local paper, as well as write for my former hometown of Assiniboia and SASKTODAY.ca.
I have also fully embraced a volunteer role in Saskatoon and it was an easy transition from small town to city experiences. I maintain that volunteering offers the chance to showcase the community you live in, meet new people, network for future opportunities and also learn new things, be a participant and share with others.
Stories are how we connect. The same can be said for volunteering as both roles help community members, and event or project attendees, navigate their worlds. The core of both roles is connecting with people, creating the right environment for them to share and using whatever feedback or knowledge you gain and putting it into action.
I write because I believe stories we include in our local paper and online are important to someone, and I feel happy and privileged to share them. It is also part of the essence of why I volunteer. It gives meaning and purpose to my life and perhaps in some way it gives the same benefits to those who read my work, volunteering offers similar benefits.
In writing and volunteer work, I feel it is vital to have an understanding of the community you live. Being involved in both of these aspects gives me greater insight. It helps me be familiar with the people and culture of the area and understand what locals care about, or understand the purpose and same care for the group you are volunteering for.
Both writing and volunteering work hand in hand. In my experience, both tasks have me involved in the community and when you connect with people in your area, you have not only greater access to stories, some of which may not have been given attention yet. Community journalism research says that people find it important for reporters to be engaged in their community and researching and writing stories is one of those ways but I know I have found volunteering is another great way to do just that.
My favourite part of both experiences is all the different things I get to be part of and the people I get to meet and know. Anyone who knows me can verify talking is one of my greatest assets.
Whether in my writing or my volunteer efforts, talking to interesting people who care about their community, their causes and their activities is such a bonus. I got to do a Facetime interview with a young Scottish curling team before they arrived at the Grand Slam of Curling and in turn, as a volunteer at that event, I got to meet them in person and learn a little more about their lives and their aspirations.
Writing and volunteering are a great partnership and I feel privileged to have done and continue to do both while in Unity and now in our new community. It’s who I am and it’s part of my life story and I am thankful for all the opportunities to do so.
