Volunteers - the value, the power

"The value of one is the power of many". It's the slogan for 2001 The International Year of Volunteers. It's also a concise and clear expression that people can make a difference. And in Ontario Parks, we have seen first-hand how our volunteers make a difference.

Year-in and year-out, some one thousand people contribute more than 20,000 person days of volunteer service. What they do is as diverse as the parks system itself. Every May, the Friends of Killarney organize a very special weekend. About 10 campsites are re-habilitated with the planting of native plant species, the turning over of the compacted soil and better de-limiting the parking area.

By planting Marram grasses, children from area schools help to stabilize the very fragile sand dune system at Pinery. Not content with that, these kids also have worked to restore the Oak-Savana forest which once covered this area and to bring back the rare Karner blue butterfly.

With so many provincial parks, the odds are that you will, from time to time, arrive in unfamiliar surroundings. Not to worry, because you can always turn to our friendly campground hosts. These experienced campers know where you can get a litre at midnight or how to set-up that tent the sales person said a four-year old could assemble. And, if you're looking for some area attractions to visit, our hosts will have a supply of brochures.

Then there's the story of Mr. Edgar Walker. Each morning, for the past 20 years, Mr. Walker arrives at the maintenance building at Bass Lake park. Seven days a week, the 85 year old retired farmer picks up garbage left by campers and retrieves recyclable material from the park's dumpster. The staff at Bass Lake park recognized Mr. Walker's dedication at a picnic held in his honour in August. There, Assistant Superintendent Tom Wilson announced that a section of the Waterview Trail will be named after Mr. Walker.

While it's most appropriate that volunteers have an international year, it's also important that we remember that they make a difference every day of every year. All park visitors and all Ontario Parks staffers, know that 'many starts with one'.

If you want to become an Ontario Parks volunteer, just contact the park where you would like to help. Addresses and telephone numbers listed under "Your Parks".