Volunteering in Calgary, it doesn’t have to be work

For most people, it was trying to get in those mandated hours before high school graduation, or doing it to make you more appear more “well-rounded” on your college applications. But the days of being “volun-told” to give back are over – you can willingly choose to contribute to your community!

Now you’re feeling settled into your job, with a few evenings a month where you’re sitting at home, feeling like you should take up a hobby or get more friends. A great place to use up those extra hours is volunteering. Here are a few Calgary organizations that aren’t filled with undergrads trying to pad their med school applications:

Kids Up Front
Kids Up Front is my personal favourite charity in Calgary. KUF provides opportunities for kids through ticket donations, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to go to events in Calgary. They provide tickets to Flames, Hitmen, and Roughneck games, theatre performances, concerts, monster trucks, and even WWE. KUF is always looking for Suite Ambassadors to accompany the groups to donated company suites at the Saddledome.

There is no minimum time commitment, the people are fantastic, and you get to meet a lot of really great kids and families. Plus you get to go to free hockey games! KUF also has other volunteer opportunities on their KUF Krew, like selling 50/50s at Flames games, Oktoberfest and Beerfest booths, and their annual poker tournament in February.

If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Nicky Nash, Program Manager at nicky@kidsupfrontcalgary.com.

Big Brothers Big Sisters
If you’re looking for something more time-intensive, make a difference in a child’s life by becoming a BBBS mentor. Girls with a Big Sister are 2.5x more likely than girls without a mentor to be confident in their school ability, and boys with a Big Brother are 3x less likely to worry about what other children think or say about them.

If you don’t have the time to commit to the mentor program, consider volunteering for their events or in their office. If you are interested, you can find the application here.

Calgary Stampede Volunteer Committees
Maybe you’re sick of waiting in line at the Cowboys Tent or can no longer stand the vomit smell of Ranchman’s. See the other side of Stampede by volunteering for one of their many committees. Most of the committees meet and operate year round, so are always looking for volunteers. With over 46 different committees, there is sure to be one that suits you. Plus, you get to hang out with real cowboys for 10 days – who wouldn’t be into that!?

You can access the application form here.

Pawsitive Match Rescue Foundation
Maybe people aren’t your thing. Pawsitive Match rescues dogs from shelters across North America that are overcrowded or closing their doors and local reserves in Alberta, who would otherwise have to be euthanized. They have a number of volunteer teams, but the hands-on team is the Cambrian Committee.

These volunteers care for the dogs in their central NW location, and walk, feed, water, and play with the dogs three times per day. The nice part is shifts are only one hour! If you don’t want a big commitment, because you’re heading to Mexico on a vacation, you can coordinate with them to bring more dogs back to Calgary with you. And of course they are always looking for foster homes (or forever homes!) for their rescues.

For current openings, contact volunteer@pawsitivematch.org.

Maybe these four opportunities aren’t for you. There are plenty of events throughout the year that might pique your interest, like Folkfest, Calgary International Film Festival, Calgary Pride, and tons of street festivals that need their volunteers. Check out Propellus (formerly Volunteer Calgary) for volunteer calls across the city. The most important thing is finding something that you’re interested in!

Now get out there and do some good! And don’t worry, your Netflix will remember where you left off!