05/04/2026
Hi Everyone, I'm happy to introduce you to our volunteer, Julie.
I have been volunteering at the Welland Hospital Gift Shop since June of 2022. I have a weekly shift of just 3 hours per week, so it's easy to fit into my weekly routine.
I caught the bug for volunteering when I was a school child. Whether I was helping the librarian shelve books, standing on a busy corner as a safety patrol to help children younger than me cross the street safely or selling chocolate bars to raise money for a special cause, I soon learned that it feels good to help others and contribute to my community. I have always found a way to volunteer once in a while, even when I was a busy working mom. When I retired from my teaching career I was glad for the opportunity to join the Hospital Auxiliary so that I could support our local health system in a small way.
I remember wondering how I'd fill my days once I left my very busy life as an elementary school teacher. Now I laugh at that because I've learned that it's easy to be as busy as you want to be! My husband and I have 14 grandchildren who we love to visit, babysit and spoil! We both have small, part time jobs and we both volunteer through 2 or 3 different organizations. At this stage of life, my volunteerism looks like helping people find what they're looking for in the gift shop, waiting on tables at catering/fundraiser events, stocking shelves at a food pantry for people who experience food insecurity, and even providing a bit of free tutoring from time to time!
Any geriatric specialist will tell you that staying busy and using your brain in different ways is good for you as you age, so that's what we do, and we love it!
