North Vancouver has relied on its community volunteers for generations, as illustrated by this image from ca. 1908. Volunteer fire fighters pulling hose reel outside No. 1 Firehall, 4th St. and St. Georges. Seventh from left at back: Thomas L. Kennedy (in felt hat). Photo: NVMA 2599

National Volunteer Week is April 18 to 24, 2021. This is a time to send a heartfelt thanks from MONOVA to all our volunteers, and also to anyone who donates their time to causes that make our communities better places.

The theme of National Volunteer Week 2021 is ‘the Value of One, the Power of Many’. This theme “reflects on the awe-inspiring acts of kindness by millions of individuals and the magic that happens when we work together towards a common purpose. This past year, we have seen people supporting family, friends, neighbours and strangers, people standing up to systemic racism, and people sharing insights on how to create a more just and equitable society. We recognize the value of the caring and compassion that each one has shown another, and we recognize the power of people, organizations and sectors working together.”

COVID-19 has changed many elements of our work, including how we’re able to interact with volunteers. Luckily, some activities have continued uninterrupted throughout the past year, thanks to dedicated volunteers who are able to work remotely. These include our Commissioners, who bring a huge variety of professional skills and perspectives to guide our decision-making, the Friends of the North Vancouver Museum and Archives Society, who run the community events we’re missing so much right now like Lynn Valley Days, Canada Day, Kids in the Hall and the Shipyards Festival, the members of our Indigenous Voices Advisory Committee (IVAC), and other volunteers who conduct research, transcribe oral history interviews, write for The Inlet, and much, much more.

When we open in the fall of 2021, the Museum of North Vancouver will be a ‘community hub’, where all the diversity of our community finds a voice. Volunteerism can play an important role in this goal. Working with the North Shore Multicultural Society, North Shore Neighbourhood House and many community groups, the Programs team at MONOVA have developed the Pathways Volunteer Project. This exciting program will provide a supported volunteer path for newcomers in North Vancouver, increasing the diversity of MONOVA’s volunteer group, strengthening our relationships with communities and helping us build a more culturally inclusive organization.

We’re looking forward to welcoming past volunteers to the new museum, and greeting new ones when we open our doors later this year. In the meantime, an enormous ‘thank you’ goes out from MONOVA to the many people who give their time in support of their Museum and Archives. Our work is not possible without your contribution.