Welcome

On Sunday, April 20, 2008, over 2,000 volunteers from across BC gathered at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver for Volunteer Vancouver's 20th Annual Volunteer Celebration with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Guests were entertained by volunteer host Diana Frances, who is a Vancouver comedian, as well as improv comedy team Rock Paper Scissors, and enjoyed the musical talents of the renowned Vancouver Symphony Orchestra during the night.

 Chilwin Cheng, a board member of Volunteer Vancouver, delivered an inspirational keynote speech which included his personal perspective on volunteering. Cheng is a regular volunteer instructor at Volunteer Vancouver and the former president of the John Howard Society of the Lower Mainland and MOSAIC. Cheng focused on Volunteer Vancouver's key message that there is a significant paradigm shift happening in volunteerism today with the way volunteers want to be engaged.

"Today's volunteers seek opportunities that are project-based, time-specific, mission-driven and most importantly, where they can see how their skills and expertise further the mission of the organization," said Cheng. "It is up to not-for-profit organizations to create specifically-skilled volunteer opportunities in order to engage this next generation of volunteers."

One such skilled volunteer role featured at the event is the volunteer work being accomplished by Annette Bazin. Annette is an employee with Business Objects who volunteers her information technology expertise with the Quest Food Exchange, an organization that rescues high quality food to stock two grocery stores catering to Vancouver's low-income shoppers.

The Volunteer Vancouver event was sponsored in part by the Province of British Columbia. The Honourable Stan Hagen, Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts (and Minister responsible for volunteerism in BC), addressed the audience via video, and acknowledged the Spirit of BC community committee members around the province who are working to celebrate BC's 150th anniversary.