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Longtime Salmon Arm volunteer urging younger generation to get involved

'It’s a labour of love. It’s fun, it’s hard work, but it’s rewarding'
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Longtime Salmon Arm volunteer Nancy Kurta (standing), pictured with Myrtle Webster (left) and Ellen Hammer in 2018, in encouraging others to get involved and give back to the community in a "rewarding" way. (Black Press file photo)

“It’s something everybody should try.”

Longtime Salmon Arm resident and volunteer Nancy Kurta is encouraging others to get involved and give back to the community.

“We always need volunteers and there’s always a shortage. The ones that are volunteering are getting older,” she said. “I’ve had a good run of volunteering and think that other people should have the pleasure.”

Kurta got started in volunteering at 13 after joining a 4-H sewing club started by two women despite not having daughters of their own. Their mentorship inspired her to also give back, which she did through everything from Brownies and Boy Scouts, to the Canadian Royal Purple, to softball coaching and everything in between in her 88 years. She joked that later, while raising her four children, volunteering was a way for her to get out of the house and socialize with other adults. 

With that extensive background in volunteering, Kurta said the most memorable part was “happy kids.”

“Volunteering is... it takes time but it’s also very rewarding,” she added. “You make lots of friendships and do interesting things.” 

Kurta particularly encourages younger people to get involved “because our older ones are wearing out.” She added that had she not spent time volunteering, there would have been a void in her life.

“It’s a labour of love. It’s fun, it takes work, but it’s rewarding,” she said. “Try it, you’ll like it.”


 



About the Author: Heather Black

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