Celebrating Our National Treasure - Canadian Canoe Museum

VOLUNTEER REPORT
In 2009, 140 volunteers collectively
logged in excess of 13,000 hours, nine
volunteers reported over 300 hours
each, and 31 volunteers individually
logged over 150 hours.
The top ten volunteer contributors
(with their hours) are:
Ipie van der Veen (485)
Arnold Allen (461.5)
Gwen Clark (392)
Barry Diceman (379)
Jim Ferguson (373)
Hal Bowen (362)
Walter Willoughby (352.5)
Peter Knapp (325)
Don Duncan (302)
Randy Crawford (297)
Page 10
IT’S A GROUP EFFORT
Dwayne James
Volunteer Coordinator
“Fascinating – lovely exhibit
and staff.”
Visitor from Manitoba.
“The best gift shop in Canada”
Visitor from New Zealand.
Years ago, when I was fi rst
learning how to canoe in
whitewater, I was taught
that—no matter how turbulent the
river—I should always keep my
paddle in the water. Doing this, I
learned, gives you leverage, helps
you stay balanced, and increases the
odds that you will remain in your
canoe with the open side up.
This simple technique has served
me well over the years, both literally
and metaphorically. Indeed, I’ve
come to discover that the canoe is
a metaphor for, well, pretty much
anything in life. In this case though,
it reminds me that, in turbulent
times, I should always remain
engaged in the situation no matter
how stressful and continue to move
forward. It’s a concept not dissimilar
to Winston Churchill’s classic words:
“If you are going through hell, keep
going.”
The last year certainly had its
share of challenges for all of us. As
the New Year dawned in the wake
of a global economic crisis, everyone
in the tourism industry was bracing
themselves for what was sure to be
exceptionally lean times. It’s funny
to think that a year that started
out so uncertainly would
turn out to
Photo: Rory Stanley
be one of our fi nest ever, but that’s
exactly what happened - thanks in
large part to the tireless work of our
volunteer corps.
The dedicated group that give
so generously of their time to the
Canoe Museum rose to the occasion
in 2009, and gave us the very boost
that we needed. As of the end of the
year, the CCM boasted close to 250
registered volunteers, 38 of whom
joined in 2009 alone. Of this group,
in the last year, 140 volunteers
collectively logged in excess of
13,000 hours, nine volunteers
reported over 300 hours each, and
31 volunteers individually logged
over 150 hours.
Here are some volunteer
highlights from 2009:
• The gift shop, under Gwen
Clark’s management, broke a sales
record in December.
• We hosted two highly successful
fundraising dinners in 2009,
both of which were planned
by volunteer committees: the
Canoebecue under the leadership
of Beverly Haun, and the Beaver
Club Gala under Katie
Stewart.