National Volunteer Week April 10 – 16, 2016

April 13 2016

Volunteer Canada’s tagline for National Volunteer Week reads: “Volunteers are the roots of strong communities.”

At the roots of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons community, and the roots of every boating community across Canada, are nearly 2000 CPS-ECP volunteers who contribute a total of approximately 150,000 hours of volunteer service each year.

Each year, upwards of 18,000 students benefit directly from this volunteer service, in the many CPS-ECP courses across Canada.

However, the volunteer effort is not limited to courses and the classroom. Thousands of Canadian boaters also participate in CPS-ECP seminars, rendezvouses, water and environmental clean-ups and social events. Thousands more also participate in and benefit from Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks and the new Safety Equipment Education and Pyrotechnic Flare Disposal program. Last year over 20,000 expired pyrotechnic flares were recovered by CPS-ECP volunteers and disposed of in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. In the next two years, it is projected that over 50,000 more flares will be recovered and disposed of.

The CPS-ECP volunteer effort also extends to vital leadership roles at the Squadron, District and National levels. These are the dedicated volunteers who contribute their valuable time and skills to ensure that Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons continues to be the premier boating organization nationally and in many communities across Canada.
You can see that in a wide variety of ways, the passion and commitment of CPS-ECP volunteers not only makes our waters safer and helps to save lives, but it also makes boating across the country a lot more fun and much more enjoyable.

Lets celebrate and thank the volunteers of Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons especially during National Volunteer Week. They truly are the roots of strong boating communities in Canada.

Photo by Penny Carpenter of Instructor Dave Jackson