June marks the preparation of our July Giving Back issue and the culmination of many months’ work by a dedicated team of volunteers who strive to make Seaside’s annual Taking It To The Street road hockey charity event a success. This year was no exception: another great day during which we raised an amazing $30,105 for Help Fill A Dream.
Being part of Taking It To The Street never ceases to inspire me and encourage me to look at what I’m doing to give back in my personal life. The problem is, giving back is amazing in theory and a critical part of community building, but what if you’re the full-time mom of a toddler and the full-time editor of a local magazine? When it seems like the only “spare time” you have is when your head is on the pillow, figuring out a way to give back seems like an unattainable goal.
But giving back doesn’t have to be about the big things, as Lara Gladych discovered in this month’s Word on the Street (page 34). As Lara found, it can simply mean a kind act, or a show of support. And when looked at this way, examples can be found everywhere you look, and seem much easier to attain.
When your time is at a premium, perhaps the best ways to commit a kind act or show of support can be found through your own interests and connections.
Maybe your friend is a new mom, who just needs you to hold her baby for a little while while she catches a quick nap or shower.
Lately I’ve been seeing nothing but support from friends and family. My daycare closed with no notice, and the number of people who have offered to help by taking my daughter for the day, whenever I need, is certainly a kind act. Add to that my Seaside team of coworkers who don’t bat an eye at my all-over-the-place schedule and I am reminded how lucky I am to be surrounded by good people.
What about finding ways to give back based on your interests? In my childhood my mom was a big part of the local SPCA, which gave her a way to spend time with and take care of the animals she so dearly loved. The ocean has always been a huge part of my life, and a recent visit to the World Oceans Day event at the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea reminded me that people aren’t the only thing you can give back to: our oceans need our help just as much. Simple things such as giving up plastic drinking straws, or taking part in a beach cleanup day, are small but kind acts that can have far-reaching implications.
The point is, giving back can take a different form for everyone, and finding your path to doing so is just as unique as you are.
