Volunteers mobilized for Dawson Community Centre

Fifty volunteers offered a helping land in various activities: painting, furniture assembly and computer installations. All in a day’s work – and that day’s work was paid by the employers of each of the volunteers who helped refurbish Dawson Centre. This project was in line with the corporate volunteer programme sponsored by an organisation called Conseil des entreprises de bénévolat du Canada (Volunteer Canada) and is represented by Wendy Mitchell who came especially from Ottawa for the occasion. Mrs. Mitchell explained to the Messager that her role was to find corporate partners and identify non-profit organisations who needed to have work done. More than 23 large Canadian companies participate in the Council; they ask other smaller companies to pitch in to undertake community projects.

For the work at Dawson Centre, Home Depot, the large hardware retailer took the task by offering the help of its employees to paint, do wood work and assemble shelves and other items. A second company - System Application Process (SAP) – rounded up ten of its technicians to work non-stop to set up furniture from IKEA and to install computers last Wednesday. It was exciting to see these young workers work in the gym of Dawson Centre. Marc Paradis, who is the Centre’s animator, said that all volunteers who worked from the 17th to 24th of October were given a cap and a working apron, and were treated to lunch by a special catering service ordered by the Centre. He explained that the preparation of these tasks required a full two weeks of planning on the part of Dawson. During the session with the Home Depot workers, councillors Alain Tassé and Marc Touchette also came to lend a helping hand.

It should be mentioned that the Woodland Street community centre received a substantial donation enabling it to purchase furniture, computers and two printers. It was necessary to set these up and re-arrange the premises to accommodate the equipment.

In Quebec, the practice of requesting industrial and commercial businesses for volunteers is relatively new. The concept is an American one, but has been successful in Canada, particularly in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

Note that Verdun residents had the chance to benefit from the programme last summer when Telus and Price-Waterhouse collaborated with the Héritage Laurentien group to plant trees and to rehabilitate the shore area.