Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 8,400 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

The Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa (CHOO/COPO) is seeking volunteers to help out with set-up, greeting and coordinating heritage participants and costumed characters, and welcoming the public to our annual Heritage Day event.

Heritage Day takes place on Tuesday, February 21st at Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave W.

If you are interested in volunteering, or would like more information, please contact Erin at erinsnow@choocopo.ca or 613-562-0405.

Devenez bénévole pour la Fête du patrimoine!

La Fête du patrimoine constitue une excellente occasion de rencontrer des membres des groupes locaux qui œuvrent dans le domaine du patrimoine et de célébrer avec eux les richesses historiques d’Ottawa!

Le Conseil des organismes du patrimoine d’Ottawa (CHOO/COPO) est à la recherche de bénévoles qui participeront à l’organisation et à la coordination de la Fête annuelle du patrimoine, de même qu’à l’accueil des participants, des personnages costumés et du public. La fête se déroulera à l’hôtel de ville d’Ottawa, au 110, avenue Laurier Ouest, le mardi 21 février prochain.

Si vous souhaitez participer à titre de bénévole ou que vous aimeriez obtenir de plus amples renseignements à ce sujet, veuillez communiquer avec Erin à erinsnow@choocopo.ca ou au 613 562 0405.

A little company:
The CNIB, an organization offering community based support, knowledge and a national voice with blind or partially sighted Canadians, is calling for a volunteer in western Ottawa to offer one-to-one support and chat about sports, politics, community activities and other topics over coffee with a friendly, engaging gentleman who is blind, and needing companionship for two to three hours a week. They are also seeking someone to visit a man who is partially sighted and likes to cook but needs help in the kitchen. There is a variety of people with vision loss all over Ottawa who’d love it if you had some time to share. Police check required. Contact Perpetua Quigley at 613-563-4021 ext. 5002, or at perpetua.quigley@cnib.ca.

Let’s talk:
Ovarian Cancer Canada, a charity dedicated to overcoming ovarian cancer with a mission to support women living with the disease (as well as their families), raise awareness and raise funds is looking for someone interested in public speaking. Speakers raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer by talking to groups about the signs, symptoms, risks and preventive factors of ovarian cancer. Call Nicole Forster at 1-877-413-7970 ext. 235 or at nforster@ovariancanada.org.

A talent for co-ordinating:
Partners for Mental Health, a nonprofit organization aligned with the mental health commission of Canada that aims to transform the way people think about and act toward people living with mental illness, has an opening for a volunteer co-ordinator at itsTogether against Stigma Conference. This individual will help define conference volunteer requirements, recruit volunteers, manage event volunteers during the conference, and help ensure a positive learning and conference experience for 500 international delegates to Ottawa. If you’re interested, contact Byron James at 613-683-3746, or at bjames@partnersformh.com.

School Days:
Students in Ottawa K-12 schools need your help. Volunteer with Ottawa Volunteers in Education today and make a difference by helping students with physical/learning disabilities in the classroom. Math, English, assistive technology, you name it – there’s a need. Lots of locations, times and training available. Apply online at: www.onfe-rope.ca/OVIE, or call 613-366-3085 ext. 255 or email volunteers@onfe-rope.ca.

We all need a friend:
Friends of Hospice Ottawa, a non-profit charitable organization, provides life-affirming support to individuals affected by a life-threatening illness across Ottawa-West, including volunteer in-home support, two day hospices, driving, caregiver and bereavement support, community education and awareness. All of their programs and services are provided without charge. At this time, they are seeking palliative care visiting volunteers, day hospice volunteers and transportation volunteers. The next 10-week volunteer training session will begin in March. A police check is required. Contact Diane Jodouin at 613-591-6002 ext. 25 or email dianejodouin@friendsofhospiceottawa.ca.

Can I help you? Puis-je vous aider?
Hôpital Montfort is a Francophone institution that delivers quality care in both official languages. Volunteers are needed to provide a variety of services in almost every department, from assisting patients, directing visitors, helping at the Lottery Kiosk and other duties.

They are in particular need of volunteers for the Boutique Montfort Gift Shop. Are you bilingual (must speak French), competent, punctual, sociable, courteous, a team player and conscientious? Can you make a minimum commitment of six months? Four-hour shifts are available days and evenings all week. Contact Marielle Beauchesne 613-746-4621, 2019 or mbeauchesne@montfort.on.ca

Special thanks to the Ottawa Citizen for publishing Volunteer Ottawa’s Volunteer Roundup weekly in Saturday’s paper! Great community organizations and people are benefiting from this great column!

Other people who fall in your star sign include:

Rihanna – February 18^th 1988 – Singer
Christian Bale – January 30^th 1974 – Actor
Ellen Degeneres – January 26^th 1958 – TV Personality
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – January 25^th 1988 – Actor

So what opportunities would suit you.?

Go Girls! Mentor @ Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa

ReStore Volunteers @ Habitat for Humanity – National Capital Region
Habitat for Humanity

Public Relations/Media Relations @ Helping for Homes
Helping for Homes

Become a Global Educator! @ CHF (formerly The Canadian Hunger Foundation)
The Canadian Hunger Foundation

You can search hundreds of other opportunities and customize your volunteer search on Volunteer Ottawa’s website.

Treasurer hunt: HelpAge Canada is dedicated to promoting the health, well-being and quality of life for all seniors. And they need a treasurer for their volunteer board of directors. Some training or experience with charitable organizations would be an asset. Contact Don Mockett at 613-232-0727.

Happy Chinese New Year: The Nepean Museum is holding a Chinese New Year program on the afternoon of Jan. 30, and they’re asking for help. They need volunteers to advise and inform staff on Chinese traditional customs associated with the celebration, and act as facilitators and program developers. Call Kalle Boucher at 613-723-7936.

Heart of the community: February is the annual fundraising month for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the cornerstone of this effort is the neighbourhood canvass. Captains who will take on the recruiting and organizing of eight to 10 canvassers, delivering kits and retrieving the kits and contributions at the end of the canvass, and canvassers who are prepared to visit 20 to 25 neighbours are crucial to this drive. Call Linda Veenstra at 613-399-2589.

Let there be music: The Carefor Perley Day Program provides respite to caregivers who are caring for a loved one with a dementia diagnosis. Participants can socialize and have fun with their peers while enjoying a variety of activities. Music is one of these activities, and they need a musician who would be able to share their musical talents. If you would like to entertain a group of seniors during the week, contact Katie at 613-526-7170 ext. 8808.

Active on land and in the water: The Jack Purcell Community Centre urgently needs a woman who enjoys conversation and fitness to assist a visually-impaired swimmer, one morning a week (10:30 a.m. to noon). Volunteers are also needed to help other participants in this program who need some assistance in the change room. Training and support are provided. If dry land is more your thing, there’s a Rehab Walking and MS exercise programs also need volunteers — great for anyone who wants to share their passion for staying active. Contact Kathy Watcham (613) 564-1050.

What a feast!: Canadian Organic Growers Ottawa Chapter will hold Feast of Fields on the Farm (FFF), a celebration of organic farming practices in August 2011. This year, organic food producers will team up with chefs to create a feast showcasing organic food. Volunteer coordinators are needed to work with the FFF committee to implement plans, to organize and promote the event and help to solicit sponsorships. Some meetings are required. Ideal for those who want to help promote the organic food movement and gain event management experience. Contact Margaret Tourond-Townsen, 613-244-4000 ext. 2.

The Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County has been serving the community since 1980.  Demand for their services has sharply risen with now over 2500 newly diagnosed cases of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias per year in our region.  Volunteers are more than ever needed to support the work of their chapter.

Volunteer roles span a wide range of skills and opportunities.  They seek volunteers interested in the following areas:

• Education:   to help with their Volunteer Speakers Bureau (making presentations and managing booths within the community), School Education Program (delivering curriculum to students from kindergarten to grade 12), and Partnership in Transitional Care Program (helping with workshops for families preparing to place their loved one in long-term care).
• Support Services:  to convene social gatherings for people in the early stages of dementia and their caregivers and to facilitate monthly caregiver support groups.
• Fundraising: to help raise awareness and participate in events to secure funds in support of the programs and services of the Alzheimer Society.   This may involve planning, public relations, preparation and assistance on the day of fundraising events.  Their main fundraising event is the Walk for Memories held in late January.
• Office Administration:  to provide essential support in many areas of administrative and computer services.
• Communication:  to raise awareness of the disease, chapter programs and/or profiles of people supporting the work of the Alzheimer Society through articles.
• Board of Directors: to set the goals and direction for the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County.

An office volunteer shared her thoughts on volunteering:

“My Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease a number of years ago. She lived close to my sister in Victoria, so I felt I wanted to do something to contribute to supporting people with Alzheimer’s disease, even though I was a long way away. Volunteering at the local chapter has been very fulfilling and I can see the difference that I can make.” (Family member, 2011)

One of their clients also had this to say about Caregiver Support Groups:

“I cannot say enough about the value derived from these support groups – to be able to connect with others who understand only too well, the give and the take, the shared support.  You need not feel isolated.” (Family member, 2011)

Visit the  Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County website at www.alzheimer.ca/ottawa to learn more about volunteer opportunities and to complete your volunteer application on-line.  You may also contact Debbie Abbott at dabbott@asorc.org or 613-523-4004 ext. 148.

Please join the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County for two Alzheimer Awareness month activities:

Walk for Memories – January 29, 2012 at Carleton University Fieldhouse for Ottawa’s premier indoor fundraising walk in support of families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Register today at www.walkformemories.ca.

“Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia” – Public seminar with featured speaker Dr. Andrew Frank, Cognitive and Behavioural Neurologist, and Medical Director of the Memory Disorder Clinic on January 18, 2012.

OTTAWA— In the little over a year since I was installed as Governor General, Sharon and I have had the opportunity to travel to almost every corner of our country—and to meet with Canadians from nearly every walk of life. It has been a remarkable experience.

What has struck us most is the generosity of Canadians. Generous with their talents, their time and their treasure. More than 80% of Canadians make some kind of financial donation to a worthy cause every year. And some 12 million Canadians spend over two billion hours volunteering.

Those are impressive numbers and speak to the kind of people we are—and the kind of country we’ve built. We are a nation of barn raisers.

Whether it’s because of the geography we share or the climate we endure, giving seems to crop up everywhere in our society. We are bound to one another. And every day, in countless ways large and small, Canadians demonstrate their gift for giving.

I have been reflecting upon the generosity of Canadians while thinking about the year ahead. In every new year lies the promise of a new beginning.

An opportunity to improve our lives and enrich our country. And as Canada approaches its 150^th anniversary, in 2017, it’s time to renew our efforts to imagine the kind of country we want—and to start building it in the New Year.

Imagine a smarter, more caring Canada. A Canada where giving—in all its forms—time, talent, altruism become an even more integral part of our daily lives—a main stream part of being Canadian.

During the holiday season, each of us can plainly see the effect that the spirit of generosity and goodwill has upon our lives and our communities. And each year we ask ourselves, ‘Why can’t every day be so full of sharing?’

Indeed, ‘Why not?’ An everyday culture of giving is one of the defining features of successful societies everywhere. This has been the case throughout Canada’s past, but we cannot take it for granted. Together, let us renew our gift for giving as we look to the future.

By celebrating and encouraging volunteerism and philanthropy, by calling on that fundamental commitment from our fellow citizens, we build a smarter and more caring Canada, one barn at a time.

The year ahead will also mark important milestones. Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, will celebrate her diamond jubilee—60 years of inimitable service. To honour Her Majesty, we are creating a Diamond Jubilee Medal which will recognize 60,000 Canadians for their contributions to our country.

This coming year we will also celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Grey Cup, donated by a former Governor General, Lord Grey. And we will mark the 40^th year in which the Decorations for Bravery and the Order of Military Merit have been awarded to Canadians for acts of heroism, at home and abroad.

As we look ahead to new beginnings and new opportunities for service, Sharon and I, and all of our family, wish you and your loved ones peace, prosperity, good health and joy in being Canadian.
David Johnston

Get On Board
The Vanier Museopark is dedicated to research, preservation, conservation and public programming, of the past present and future history and heritage of Vanier, of the Richelieu-Vanier Park and the Francophonie in Ottawa. They are looking for bilingual (French, English) candidates from Ottawa, Vanier and the area for its Board of Directors and committees. The candidates should have an experience in budget management and fundraising. and a strong network for helping the Museopark to become a community leader in French heritage. Meetings take place every second Monday of the month. Contact: 613-842-9523 or directrice@museoparc.ca or during the Maple Sugar season, (January – April) help with project management, photography, customer service or security. Contact Gisèle Vallée 613.859.6382 or cabane@museoparc.ca

Variety of Volunteers
Christie Lake Kids is a non-profit organization that services Ottawa\’s at risk children and youth ages 6-17 through a variety of programs aimed at helping kids build self-confidence. Do you play guitar? Do pottery or other arts? Know how to cook? Play sports? Build a ukulele?  Want to share these skills with kids?  There are a variety of programs taking place in the east, centre and west of Ottawa during the evenings and on weekends.  Make a real difference in a young person’s life.  Call Stephanie Miller 613-742-6922 ext 224.

Inspire, engage, and learn!
Sage Youth provides free mentoring and literacy programs to children and youth from low-income, new Canadian, special needs and homeless communities. Volunteers work one-on-one and in small groups supporting students with their literacy and life skills. They need volunteer tutors/mentors! Can you commit 2-2.5 hours/week? Sage Youth runs three programs in the city. Volunteers are needed for morning, afternoon and evenings. You’ll work in a supervised, supportive setting and be provided with all training and materials. Also anted – Volunteer French Editor. Sage Youth operates in partnership with its national sister charity, The Excellence in Literacy Foundation which assists community leaders in the development of sustainable, effective, and ethical literacy programs.  We are in the process of translating our workbooks from English to French and are looking for a volunteer editor to take a look at the French versions and to edit them accordingly. Contact Tamba Dhar 613-838-5539 or visit sageyouth@hotmail.com

Linking Villages
Village Link Tanzania is an organization aiming to connect Tanzanian villagers with opportunities for education and training to give villagers the opportunity to improve their livelihoods by providing skills and resources.  They are putting together a creative group of individuals to work together as a promotions/fundraising team. Opportunities include: – educating the public on our work in Tanzania (this can include presentations to Ottawa high school classes for those interested) – helping to organize fundraising events – developing strategies for increasing the organization’s exposure and capacity. Contact Susan (613) 406-0746 or susan@villagelinktanzania.com

For the animals
The Constance Creek Wildlife Refuge  provides  rehabilitation care to injured and orphaned wild animals, public education on living in harmony with wildlife and advocating on behalf of wildlife and providing a safe, caring and healthy home for unwanted farm animals. Volunteers can help by feeding and caring for the animals. Volunteers are also needed to help maintain the barns and shelters, creating a safe, clean place for the animals in their care. Contact Chris Nuyens 613-836-0366 or commschris@hotmail.com

Let there be music!
Music for Life Fundraising Concerts’ focus is to provide cancer benefit concerts across Canada to raise funds to help local cancer or hospital foundations and  provide a venue to help local artists & entertainers to donate their time and talents within their communities.  A variety of volunteers is needed behind the scenes:  media outreach, event planning and management, people with legal and financial expertise to provide advice and guidance with regard to events, and volunteers to help develop and maintain the website.  If you would like to contribute your talents, contact Anne-Laurie Placide 613.435.6352 or volunteer@musicforlifeconcerts.org

Join us at Billings Bridge Shopping Centre and have cheerful volunteers wrap ALL of your gifts for you. We will be there until 9pm tonight and from 8:00am until 5:00pm on Christmas Eve!

How much for this wonderful service? You choose! We just ask that you make a donation to Volunteer Ottawa. Your donation will help support our programs and services.

Today we will be on CTV Morning Live to talk about gift wrapping and Volunteer Ottawa. Please tune into the show and watch us live at 8:45am. It’s sure to be a fun show!

On the show we will talk about creating personalized bows and we are sure that there will be some fellow community members wanting the instructions. You can click here for the very simple instructions from the Lines Across My Face Blog.

All you need: Paper, glue, scissors
Estimated time: 10 minutes or less.

For more wrapping tips, check out our YouTube Video below:

We hope to see you at Billings Bridge and if not, have a very happy holiday and we looks forward to seeing you in the new year!

Volunteer Ottawa is hosting two movies nights, with proceeds going to support Volunteer Ottawa’s programs and services.

Please join us for:

Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1 – Friday January 6th, 2012 at 7:00pm:

A must see!! Bella and Edward, plus those they love, must deal with the chain of consequences brought on by their ornate nuptials, a romantic honeymoon, and the tumultuous birth of their child which brings an unforeseen and shocking development for Jacob Black. With more of the romance, passion, intrigue and action that made Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse worldwide blockbusters.

Get in on the saga: buy your ticket now>>
(Once purchased, tickets can be picked up at Billing Bridge Shopping Plaza, gift wrapping booth)
Cost: $7.00 per person
Location: Ottawa Family Cinema (Notre Dame Auditorium – 710 Broadview Avenue, Ottawa, ON)

Real Steel – Saturday, January 14th, 2012 at 2:00pm

A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, eight-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max to build & train a championship contender.

Purchase your ticket now>>
(Once purchased, tickets can be picked up at Billing Bridge Shopping Plaza, gift wrapping booth)
Cost: $7.00 per person
Location: Ottawa Family Cinema (Notre Dame Auditorium – 710 Broadview Avenue, Ottawa, ON)