Wellspring Niagara Volunteers Key to Reaching 20 Year Milestone

When asked about why she chose Wellspring Niagara as her charity to support with her time and effort, Dianne Ewart clearly states “I didn’t choose Wellspring. Wellspring chose me.” A few months before retiring from the St. Catharines Public Library, fellow worker, Kanchan Rege, asked if Dianne to help her with a small issue in setting up a program for the library at Wellspring Niagara. Dianne agreed to go in “one” day and twenty years later she is still there volunteering, and loving it!

Dianne states “I enjoy the fellowship of like-minded people. People who are focused on helping others. Everybody is so upbeat. The friendships that I have developed through volunteering at Wellspring are the forever kind. Some of those dear friends have passed but I cherish the memories. “

Front Desk volunteer Faye McKee has seen firsthand the positive affect our volunteers have had on the members who come to our centre for support dealing with their cancer. “Volunteers are the life blood of any organization and at Wellspring the connections between volunteers and members are invaluable.” and personally feels a strong sense of satisfaction when she sees a member leave the centre with a strong sense of encouragement and hope. She shares that, from volunteering at Wellspring Niagara, she has gained “Joy, many friendships and a sense of well-being.”

Volunteering at Wellspring Niagara is not just in centre.

Wellspring Niagara has an amazing group of Special Event Volunteers and Community Outreach Volunteers who each help spread awareness of our organization and help raise funding to go towards our programming. Program Leader and Event Volunteer Patti Welch reflects on past event volunteering. “I started to volunteer because it’s such a great organization that helps so many people. On a personal level I have lost almost every member of my family to cancer starting with my Mother when I was 21 years old.” Patti continues, “I enjoyed helping out at events and being on The Gala Committee. The Gala was a tremendous event and one of my favourites to be a part of. The commitment and tireless teamwork of staff and volunteers was amazing. It always turned out to be a magical evening. I have always been humbled by the resilience and kindness of the many volunteers I have had the pleasure of working with over the last 20 years. They have all been great but the one that comes to mind the most for me is Bobbi, who passed away several years ago. Her wisdom, compassion, great stories and wonderful sense of humour will stay with me always.”

Some of our volunteer roles include, but are not limited to;

· Peer Support

· Front Desk

· Library

· Reiki Practitioners

· Program Volunteers

· Special Events and Community Outreach

· Committee and Board of Directors

· Facility volunteers (Garden)

Throughout the 20 years of changes at Wellspring Niagara, Wellspring Staff have always agreed that our success in providing the best cancer support programming to our members comes from having the best volunteers a charity could desire.

Executive Director Ann Mantini-Celima says “We could not do what we do without our dedicated volunteers. Volunteers help increase the quality of services that an organization like Wellspring Niagara provides. Our volunteers have gone above and beyond so many times and in so many ways. They are dedicated to the mission of Wellspring Niagara and no matter what else is happening, they make sure an individual coming to Wellspring Niagara feels supported and understood.

Ann also recognizes the amazing volunteers who have over the years been an impactful key to the direction of our organization. “Our founding Board Members took a leap of faith and believed in the mission of the organization. They dedicated their time and talents to ensure Wellspring Niagara could open its doors when it did in June 2001. We owe a lot to every single volunteer who sat and worked diligently on the Founding Board and Committees to ensure Wellspring Niagara became a reality.”

Program Coordinator Spencer Wyllie agrees, “Wellspring Niagara volunteers are vital to our success. We would not provide the range, amount, or quality of supports and services without their help. For example, the peer volunteers who have been providing support during Covid-19 have been incredible. This small team have collectively gone above and beyond, leading to us having the busiest one year the peer program has ever seen. They are an amazing and dedicated group who have put a great deal of time and energy into ensuring that our members are supported.”

Wellspring Niagara’s Development Officer of Events and Community Relations believes “Our incredible team of volunteers bring their expertise to so many key activities in our organization. Without their talents it would be impossible to not only get through the past year but the whole 20 years of our existence. Simply put, without our volunteers, Wellspring Niagara would not exist. The time, effort and belief our volunteers bring to Wellspring Niagara is the motivation for our members and our staff that we are doing the best job we can to provide the best support to those living with cancer here in Niagara.”

It’s an opinion shared by Centre Manager, Kristen Szigatti “Their roles are intertwined with the programs and services we provide to the community we serve, without them Wellspring Niagara would not be able to provide our programs and services”. She continues “Our volunteers are like a family, they come together when we need each other the most. Whether it be a program, Grand Opening, an event or supporting a staff through a life changing event the volunteers are always there. I feel very lucky to have worked with the volunteers for almost 18 years. Personally, we’ve shared very important life events with each other, marriages, births and deaths. The kindness, caring and support is what makes our volunteers stand out from any other organization.”

Why do we feel our volunteers are the best?

Ann clearly states “The passion and commitment that our volunteers bring to their role and the organization is hard to match. Many of our volunteers were former Wellspring members and used the supportive care services available to them while on their cancer journey. Because of this, they understand how being part of the Wellspring community can have on a patient’s recovery and a caregivers’ wellbeing.”

This 20 year milestone is also a great opportunity to reflect on the amazing efforts and time that all our wonderful volunteers have given to our organization. This includes our long-standing volunteers that have been with us for the entire 20 years of Wellspring being in Niagara. We acknowledge the following dedication of these amazing individuals:

Katharine Barilla

Marlene Bortolussi

Jane Cocco

Donna Cook

Dianne Ewart

Sheila Hill

Edy Katzman

Molly Keba

Peter Mahoney

Sandra Mantini-Blundy

Barbara Mantini-Colonico

Enedina Mantini

Joseph Matthews

Faye McKee

Winnie Ramsahai

Kanchan Rege

Marjorie Shiels

Serena Spagnol

Patti Welch

If you would like to make a donation to celebrate a specific volunteer or all of our volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, to give that extra thank you to show you believe in the hard work of these incredible people provide – please visit https://wellspring.ca/niagara/get-involved/make-a-donation/

VOLUNTEERING AT WELLSPRING

Respectfully submitted: Marj Shiels

My first thought was “Where have “TWENTY YEARS” gone?”

Originally, I was approached by a couple of my nurse friends, who were on the ground floor in the planning stages of Wellspring. It sounded like a much need organization for our Niagara area, so I said “count me in”. I had been volunteering for many years and enjoyed being able to help others. It gave me a feeling of self- satisfaction to be able to give back.

I am proud of the accomplishments of Wellspring through the years. As a volunteer we worked hard to raise money to reach our goals. We had Fashion Shows, which I was a part of and enjoyed getting dressed up and “strutting the runway”. The Gala Entertainment nights with our talented Mantini Sisters and top name entertainers. The evening started with wonderful appetizers and wine and a delicious dinner. Other fund raising events too numerous to mention all. It was always great fun working with other volunteers planning and attending these events and happy with our profitable results.

I enjoyed working at Wellspring with the capable, knowledgeable, helpful staff and who have been the back bone of why Wellspring has been successful. They are always there with advice and the answers to our questions. Always patient when learning new IT equipment (for me the new telephone system!)

My personal appreciation came when my husband was diagnosed with cancer and we attended several of the programs offered at Wellspring. My husband was very pleased with the friendly, caring and thoughtful facilitators who ran the programs and the comforting talks with them and especially Anne, who always took special interest in the members.

Through my experiences with family and friends who have suffered cancer, and my association with the Hospital I highly recommended and suggested Wellspring for mental and spiritual help. I have cheered with our successful members and grieved with our lost members. All had positive association with programs offered at Wellspring.

My twenty years of volunteering at Wellspring has given me the opportunity to make many new friends. As a front desk volunteer, I help members make appointments for their chosen programs and explain any new ones that may be suited to their particular problem. I enjoy the time spent with members over coffee and a treat and a chance for casual chit chat and a happy exchange of smiles and chuckles, everyone relaxes over simple conversation and a refreshing cup of tea or coffee.

I have seen our first small facility grow to include a satellite office in Stevensville with all our programs at full to capacity. Then through local donations and our fund raising we are now in our new, up to date beautiful current facility.

The volunteer socials are always looked forward to and well attended. We have had Xmas cookie exchanges, memorials, bridal and baby showers, retirements, even meetings end up being social.

During my 55 plus, combined years of volunteering I feel I have accomplished something that makes me feel good, and happy about myself being able to give back. Especially as I “age” I can appreciate the need and the results of volunteering both mentally and spiritually. Volunteering has been a fulfillment in my life.

I have missed my days at Wellspring and I am looking forward to when we can all be together again and give of ourselves for the benefit to others. We have brought comfort and peace to so many people through our programs and discussion groups.

We have touched many hearts throughout the Niagara area.