APRIL 24-30, 2022

WHEREAS, 24 million Canadian volunteers give their time to help others, contributing close to 5 billion volunteer hours per year; and

WHEREAS, volunteers in Thunder Bay mentor our children, support those feeling isolated, beautify our green spaces, and fundraise for our charitable organizations; and

WHEREAS, volunteers in Thunder Bay have stepped up during the COVID-19 pandemic to support families, friends, neighbours and strangers, people standing up to systemic racism, and people sharing insights on how to create a more just and equitable society; and

WHEREAS, Thunder Bay’s volunteers are families, workers, retirees, community members of all ages and backgrounds; and

WHEREAS, the collective result of the work done by our city’s volunteers is that Thunder Bay is a more desirable place to live; and

WHEREAS, 2020 saw us in a year that volunteering shifted and morphed into new and reimagined opportunities for many organizations and volunteers alike; and

WHEREAS, organizations in Thunder Bay that rely on volunteers include such fundamental organizations as The City of Thunder Bay, Salvation Army, Thunder Bay Military Family Resource, Children’s Aid Society, Frontier College, St. Joseph’s Care Group, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Volunteer Thunder Bay, NorWest Community Health Centre, to name a few; and

NOW THEREFORE, I, Bill Mauro, Mayor of Thunder Bay, do hereby proclaim April 24-30, 2022, as National Volunteer Week, and urge my fellow citizens to recognize the crucial role played by volunteers in our community.