Volunteers make the arts happen
The third week in April is dedicated to volunteers, and we want to say THANK YOU to the people who donate time and energy to the CVCAS. Imagine what we would be missing if they didn’t step up and step out to put on events and programs in the Valley.
There’d be no music in the park. The bandshell would be silent, and the hundreds of people who enjoy a Saturday afternoon, or a Wednesday evening, toe tapping and clapping would stay at home instead of coming together.
Rainforest Arts’ walls and shelves would be bare and empty. Dozens of Valley artists would lose a place to share their creativity, and the community would have to go somewhere else to see original works—a place that wouldn’t have the local perspective of our community gallery.
Writers and poets would no longer have a monthly space in Cowichan Valley Voice Magazine, where they can publish their stories, or a gathering space where they can critique each other’s work and hone their skills. And, again, the people in the Valley would lose a locally based artistic lens.
That’s what volunteers bring to this community.
But there’s more. Why do people volunteer for the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society—or, for that matter, any other community, charitable, or social organization?
Each of us has his or her own reasons for contributing time, skills and energy to further the goals of a non-profit enterprise, but the bottom line is usually: Because volunteering makes me feel good about who I am, and the world I live in.
CVCAS volunteers believe a vibrant local arts scene makes for a more joyful, engaged community—and that spirit of generosity and commitment is, perhaps, the most important contribution of all that they make to our wonderful town. That positive feeling is the heart and soul of volunteerism, and it adds a special effervescence to our celebrations.
Find out more about the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society, and how you can get involved, at CVCAS.ca/connect.
Bob Johns
CVCAS Chair