Blog

In a year of isolation, upheaval and fear, volunteers are the superheroes coming to save the day. And while they may not have a proton pack or wear spandex, they will show up on your doorstep with a friendly smile and groceries in hand. As part of National Volunteer Week, the Social Action team connected with Volunteer Strathcona to learn more about the important role community volunteers have played during the pandemic.

The Gilmore Park Community League has been bringing residents closer together for over a decade. This year, they created a Glen Allan History Walk in partnership with the Strathcona County Museum & Archives to encourage connection and share the history of their neighbourhood.

How do you Dad? Find out more about Joe's story and his involvement with the community, that all started off with Saturday mornings at the Library. 

National Child Day is about celebrating children as active participants in their own lives, as active citizens who can and should meaningfully contribute to decision-making in their community. To celebrate, Strathcona County Child and Youth Coalition held a creative mask design competition as an opportunity for children and youth to express themselves through art, poetry, and creative writing.

Social Action had a chance to follow up with co-organizer and Ardrossan Recreation and Agricultural Society (ARAS) board member, Jessica Lutz, who reflects on the amazing success of the Country Convoy, on June 27.

As a recent block party host, Jamie Imeson understands that even when you live close to others, you don't necessarily know each other. With block parties on hold due to the pandemic, Jamie and some neighbourhood friends looked for another way to build connections in their community while maintaining appropriate physical distancing, so last month they began meeting every Wednesday night for a walking group. It's an easy-paced way to socialize, make new friends and build community for people living in the Graham Heights and Scot Haven neighbourhood.

Kathy and Carol are both retired from working directly with Linking Generations but are still passionate about connecting with seniors and volunteering in ways to enrich their lives. When they learned about the Strathcona County Connection Grants, each applied for one because thought it would be nice to plant some things outside of Country Cottage and Silver Birch Place that seniors could enjoy looking at from inside and enjoy when they do get a chance to go outside.  

Where there was a will, there was a way. A group of like-minded people really wanted to be able to offer some good, safe fun to our community, so Jessica Lutz and the board of the Ardrossan Recreation and Agricultural Society took their annual Ardrossan Old Fashioned Parade & Picnic and decided to completely re-invent it, in a socially responsible manner. The Ardrossan 'reverse parade' was born! Read more about how Jessica describes the upcoming Country Convoy, coming to Strathcona County June 27, 2020. 

Like most of their peers, lifelong friends and soon-to-be high school grads Jessica Wolfrey and Quintin Dunham are facing graduation without all of the things that make this milestone so special. On a physical distancing walk a few weeks ago, they decided to make lemonade when COVID-19 gave them lemons. With a spirit of entrepreneurship and a healthy sense of humour, they started making t-shirts for their fellow grads, teachers and relatives to connect and share a laugh during this challenging time. We were fortunate to talk to them about their story - read on to learn more about Spirit Grad ...