A valued resource

The prospect of jumping through so many government-imposed hoops was a daunting one, but through so many tightly organized efforts, such as telephone canvassing to ensure that all residents were properly registered on the electoral list, the much-anticipated referendum was won by the requisite margin.

It was a huge effort, and what was widely acknowledged to be a huge victory for Westmount was achieved thanks to a force of residents comprised entirely of volunteers. Without them, it is certain, nothing of that could have happened; Westmount would still be a borough in the Montreal megacity.

Westmount’s greatest resource has always been its strong contingent of volunteers — the several hundreds of people from all different parts of the community who devote various amounts of their free time to some aspect of Westmount life. From hockey and soccer coaches to Scout leaders to members of the Westmount Municipal Association, they put in the time and effort to ensure that their fellow residents have high-quality recreational and social programs.

The City of Westmount has always had a deep appreciation for the many community volunteers, and it showed some of that last Wednesday evening in Victoria Hall, when it hosted a reception to honour all its volunteers as the traditional opening of the Fall Flower Show in the adjacent greenhouse. Looking around the room that night, one thing was clear — the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in Westmount.

Last week, for example, The Examiner featured the good work being done by the volunteers who cook, pack and deliver hot lunches for local shut-ins as part of the Meals on Wheels program at St. Matthias’ Church. This is exactly the kind of selflessness that defines true community spirit, and it should be encouraged.

Unfortunately, the 40-year-old program at St. Matthias' may not be around for much longer if it doesn't attract more volunteers to help out with the day-to-day running of the program.

Bob Laxton, one of the few volunteers left over there, is putting the word out through the community that St. Matthias' is definitely looking for more volunteers to help keep this worthy program rolling. Anyone — from the retired to the part-time student — who happens to have a few hours to spare each week is encouraged to call Mr. Laxton at 514-846-0024.