According to Volunteer Canada,Bureau de Pauvres started in 1688 and is believed to be the first volunteer organization in Canada. It was formed in Quebec to help the impoverished. Volunteer firefighter’s tradition began in 1754 with the Union Fire Club, Canada’s first fire department in Halifax. Today, 80 per cent of Canadian firefighters work on a voluntary basis. There was shift in the nature of volunteerism in the mid nineteenth century with Canadians helping slaves escape the U.S to Canada. Over the years volunteering evolved with the social and economic changes of society.
In 1980 Terry Fox begins his cross-Canada run to raise awareness and funds for cancer research on April 12. His run came to an end 143 days and 5,373 km later, near Thunder Bay, ON, after his cancer spread to his lungs. To date, nearly $500 million has been donated to cancer research in Fox’s name. Since then we see an increase in popularity of walks, runs and marathons designed to raise money for charity grows, and the Canadian Breast Foundation’s Run for the Cure hosts its first event in Toronto, raising $85,000 for breast cancer research. By 2010, the event is being hosted in more than 50 communities in Canada, and it raises over $33 million annually. In 2007 more than 12.5 million Canadians volunteer their time to non-profit organizations and charities, totalling 2.1 billion volunteer hours. It is evident how volunteers are making a difference in the community and world at large. There is a great respect accorded to volunteers as they are people who take their time and money to consciously help those around them and build the lives of other people facing hardships.
Volunteer firefighter’s tradition began in 1754 with the Union Fire Club, Canada’s first fire department in Halifax. Today, 80 per cent of Canadian firefighters work on a voluntary basis. There was shift in the nature of volunteerism in the mid nineteenth century with Canadians helping slaves escape the U.S to Canada. Over the years volunteering evolved with the social and economic changes of society.
In 1980 Terry Fox begins his cross-Canada run to raise awareness and funds for cancer research on April 12. His run came to an end 143 days and 5,373 km later, near Thunder Bay, ON, after his cancer spread to his lungs. To date, nearly $500 million has been donated to cancer research in Fox’s name.
Since then we see an increase in popularity of walks, runs and marathons designed to raise money for charity grows, and the Canadian Breast Foundation’s Run for the Cure hosts its first event in Toronto, raising $85,000 for breast cancer research. By 2010, the event is being hosted in more than 50 communities in Canada, and it raises over $33 million annually.
In 2007 more than 12.5 million Canadians volunteer their time to non-profit organizations and charities, totalling 2.1 billion volunteer hours. It is evident how volunteers are making a difference in the community and world at large. There is a great respect accorded to volunteers as they are people who take their time and money to consciously help those around them and build the lives of other people facing hardships.
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