Living in a small town, there isn’t always the money or manpower to make every idea or event happen. In Golden, many of the things that make this community special are possible because people are willing to donate their time, skills and ideas to make the town a better place.
It’s hard to turn in any direction in this town without seeing something operating with the help of volunteers. That fire truck passing with its sirens blaring, an event being put on by the food bank, a helicopter heading out for a search and rescue call, or a trail you hiked that was free of debris are all examples of volunteers making an impact on our community.
On September 23, the Golden Women’s Resource Centre is hosting a volunteer fair to help people looking to donate some of their free time to a local cause. While I want to encourage anyone interested to check out the fair and see how they can get involved, the event also made me stop and think about just how much volunteerism is woven into our way of life in Golden.
There are a multitude of organizations that are heavily reliant on volunteers, including Golden and District Search and Rescue (GADSAR), Golden Food Bank Society, Little Mittens Animal Rescue, Wildsight Golden, Golden Museum, Golden Pride and the Golden Fire Department, to name a few.
These organizations provide a wide range of services in Golden, from community events and cultural programming to essential services and emergency response.
Organizations like GADSAR and the fire department rely on people who are willing to make themselves available when the rare but inevitable emergencies happen. This is an aspect of small-town living that requires people to donate their time, train for emergencies and be ready to respond when they are needed.
Little Mittens is another organization that could not operate without volunteers. Volunteers help with everything from recycling runs and shelter cleaning to animal rehabilitation and transportation. Organizations like Little Mittens and Wildsight also play an important role in protecting and caring for the natural world that surrounds Golden.
Other volunteer-heavy organizations, like the museum and Golden Pride, help enrich the culture of the community, preserve local history and create opportunities for people to connect with one another.
I could go into detail about how each organization supports and affects the community, but I would go on for pages. The impact volunteering has had on individuals in Golden and the community as a whole is immeasurable, but undeniably significant.
There is, however, one overarching issue with our reliance on these organizations: volunteer shortages. When there aren’t enough people willing or able to keep a program going, it can eventually fall by the wayside. The 2025 Golden Age-Friendly Community Plan points to the loss or inactivity of several volunteer-based groups and service clubs, including the Lions Club, Meals on Wheels, Welcome Wagon and the Hospital Auxiliary.
Not everyone has time to volunteer, and not everyone can commit to the same level of involvement. But there may also be a gap between people who have some time to give and organizations that need their help. Sometimes the challenge isn’t a lack of people who care, but simply that people don’t know where they are needed.
That is where an event like the volunteer fair can help. Bringing local organizations and potential volunteers into the same room could make it easier for people to find a cause that fits their interests, skills and schedules.
Being a small town, with quite a bit of distance between us and major cities, Golden depends on its residents to step up and help make things happen. Volunteers are not just an added bonus to our community. They are part of what keeps so many of its services, events and organizations going.
So, if you would like to become one of the many people donating their time, skills and energy to a local cause, come check out the Volunteer Fair on September 23 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Golden Seniors Centre.
You never know what part of Golden you might help keep running.
