Celebrating International Day of the Volunteer

December 5th has been designated by the United Nations as International Day of the Volunteer and as usual BANGO is organizing a week of activities designed to highlight and recognise the work of volunteers from 5th - 11th December 2004.

The week will start with a Church Service at the St. Michael's Cathedral at 9:00 a.m. and the Volunteer Awards Ceremony at 5 p.m. We will also be launching our Tag Day on this day for the first time.

Funds collected from the tags will be placed in a fund to assist Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Part of the fund will also go towards equipping a secretariat that will assist CSOs with such things as letters, fliers, posters and reports.

The secretariat will also have the added feature of sensitising the general public about the work of volunteers and CSOs through magazines, newsletters and brochures, as well as printing of training and seminar materials.

The importance of the work of the volunteer cannot be overstated and to this end it is necessary to recognise them. Volunteers walk to the ends of the earth to help people and this renders the value of their contribution priceless. It is a personal service which touches the lives of the disadvantaged in a meaningful way.

I am told that World Cup 2007 will need approximately 3000 volunteers to allow the event to run smoothly. Some of the tasks are very simple but designed to stop patrons from loosing their way in the World Cup maze.

Barbadians can be called perpetual volunteers, especially when we look back at our culture. People help one another without looking for payment. The neighbour who would cook everyday religiously for the old lady who is disabled by old age and left for all intents and purposes "abandoned" by her family; the child who would get care and attention from a stranger; the person who would go out of their way to buy something for a neighbour.

The things that Bajans do for one another include finding or supplying transport for a bottle of gas on Sundays; taking a neighbour's child to school; looking after children while parents are at work; caring for the sick; spending quality time with the elderly and all those things which were commonly supported by the extended family.

Strangers go to hospitals and infirmaries to look for the sick that they never knew, pray with them and comfort them. Barbadians give people lodging in their homes and are known for their hospitality to anyone visiting the island. Simply giving directions or taking visitors to their destinations is also volunteerism.

All of this is helpful not only to the society but also to the economy. When a person volunteers they sacrifice time to another person. They give up something for themselves to do something for somebody else without expecting payment.

This translates into a savings or additional spending power to the recipient. In other cases this translates into care which the recipient could not otherwise afford but generally the volunteers' contribution translates into a better quality of life for the recipients.

The most crucial role of the Barbadian volunteer comes during disasters such as house fires and definitely during the Hurricane Season. We only have to remember Montserrat and more recently Ivan in Barbados and Grenada .

The expense that is spared and the speedy relief that comes from volunteers are remarkable. Indeed CERO has recognised this and has established District Emergency Organisations as part of its Disaster Preparedness plan.

This incorporates community based groups, service groups, the disabled community and other groups such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Amateur Radio Societies, etc. We therefore have a duty to support these groups in the same way that they are committed to volunteering the efforts of their members to the betterment of Barbados .

We therefore look forward to your support for the activities during the first eleven days of December, starting with World AIDS Day on December 1 st ; Day of the Disabled December 3 rd where the disabled community is asking you to "Accept the Challenge"; December 5 th International Day of the Volunteer and the activities for that ensuing week ending 11 th December 2004.

Finally we encourage you to donate generously to the volunteer tags wherever you see them. Nominations are still open until 26 th November for awards for volunteers who have contributed exceptionally to their community. Anybody can nominate; call 427-5001 to receive forms.

Roosevelt O. King
Secretary General - BANGO
admin@bango.org.bb