Nancy Wildgoose has an extensive and impressive career record in social policy both nationally and internationally. This led to her appointment by the Privy Council as Executive Director of the Voluntary Sector Task Force where she helped to shape an innovative accord between the Canadian Government and the Voluntary Sector. Nancy currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Perth & District Food Bank, and is President of the United Nations Association of Canada.
In 2003 there were 161,000 non-profit and voluntary organizations operating in Canada, about half of them being charities. While some work on major national and International issues, the majority work in just about every element of the community interests of Canadians. - sports, arts and culture, social services, community development, environment, as well as business associations, and institutes such as colleges and hospitals. As can be expected, 99% of the organizations are small such as local theatre groups, food banks, sports groups, etc, with few resources other than their volunteers and memberships. Almost half have no paid help, and those that do face serious problems of staff re-tention because of their lack of resources.
Raising funds is time consuming and diverts the focus of the organization from the prime objective of serving, informing, or advocating; it is also challenging in face of the fierce competition for financial support.

Jim Sands thanked Nancy Wildgoose for addressing Probus on Volunteerism.

Nancy gave examples of the many, many aspects of volunteerism internationally, in Canada and locally in the Perth area. All led to the conclusion that volunteer organizations grow out of grass roots Canadian values; that they make a tremendous contribution to the lives of Canadians, and, while doing so, enjoy a high level of public trust. They help to build ‘social capital’ – that sense of trust and community that grows when people work together to help others. As people are increasingly mobile, as our population becomes increasingly diverse, and as globalization puts stress on peoples’ sense of identity, we need to keep building that “social capital” – and we increasingly need to support our dedicated volunteer organizations.

No Personal Profile this month, but it is gardening season, so perhaps these will help you smile while you rest your back.

* Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to ensure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
* A man should never plant a garden larger than his wife can take care of.
* I was a vegetarian until I started leaning towards the sunlight.

* The philosopher who said that 'work well done never needs doing over' never weeded a garden.
* What do you get if you cross a four leaf clover with poison ivy? A rash of good luck.
* A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
* There's one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbour's.
What plant catalogs really mean:
* "Grows more beautiful each year" means "Looks like roadkill for the foreseeable future."
* "Zone 5 with protection" is a variation on the phrase "Russian roulette."
* "Carefree" refers more to the plant's attitude than to your workload.
* "Vigorous" is code for "a Napoleonic compulsion to take over the world."
* "Grandma's Favorite" -- until she discovered free-flowering, disease-resistant hybrids.

Notes from the Management Team
Your Management Team has just about finished its 2006-2007 term and the Nominating Committee is drawing up a great list of replacements for us (to be announced in the next newsletter). Team members, don’t forget our next Team meeting/pot luck lunch on June 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Visit our website: www.probusperth.ca

New Member:
Rod MacLean, shown below with President Keith, received his pin and paperwork at the May meeting. Welcome, Rod. We look forward to hearing your Personal Profile at a later meeting.