Sarah Williams
Beaver Staff
Recently, Lennox & Addington County Museum launched their Kids Who Care Program with the intent of highlighting young and noteworthy good Samaritans throughout the region.
The program is open to children of any age. Parents are invited to submit a photo and description of their children’s volunteering efforts on the L&A County Museum website. Of course, any children who have access to the internet may submit for themselves as well.
The program invites youth to dedicate five hours per month to volunteering. In this new era of physical distancing, children are encouraged to volunteer from home by creating something that could be shared. They could also participate by cleaning up the environment or by helping out with one of the animal rescue organizations in the area.
The program was launched by Museum program coordinator Amber Meyer. Meyer noted that she had wanted to bring a program of this sort to the area for about a year and that children should not feel obliged to donate money in order to volunteer.
“I’d been thinking about bringing a Kids Who Care program to the area for about a year, I’m one of the leading ladies of 100 People Who Care in Lennox & Addington,” said Meyer. “It had been part of a conversation that we really wanted to bring a children’s chapter to our area. But, we didn’t want it to be about money and monetary donations.”
Meyer, who has a passion for volunteering herself, described the inspiration she derives from seeing children volunteer out of their own volition.
“My passion for volunteering and giving back is inspired 100 per cent by kids in our community who give out of the kindness of their heart, whether it’s bringing flowers to a neighbour, writing thank-you cards or bringing cookies to a nursing/retirement home,” effused Meyer.
She also believes that the positive role modelling of youth among youth-in other words, when young people see others their age volunteering-is powerful.
“I wanted youth to inspire youth,” said Meyer. “When you see your friend doing something wonderful, like cleaning up garbage, that can make you want to volunteer in a similar way.”
With so much pause for reflection during this health crisis, some, such as Meyer, are focused on how to make the world a better place.
“This is how our world will become a better place. This is how we can continue to encourage kids and adults to think with a more pro-social mindset and continue to give back in a way that’s meaningful to them,” she said.
“Because of COVID-19, we had decided to put it on the back-burner because it’s more difficult right now to be out in the community because we don’t want to encourage people to be in physical contact with those outside of their home,” she added. “Then, two or three weeks ago it was brought up that maybe we could encourage this. There’s so many kids in our community who really are giving back so we wanted to highlight that by giving them a platform to showcase what they’re doing to inspire other people and to see all the wonderful, creative ways you can give back.”
From volunteering at a soup kitchen or food bank to going to a senior’s home and reading stories, Meyer describes many ways in which youth could, under normal circumstances, volunteer.
“Although those are wonderful things that I hope more people do, not everybody feels comfortable with specific mainstream volunteering. A lot of volunteering can be done from home,” she insists.
Meyer also insists that volunteering need not be connected with donating money- a common misconception.
“Even if you just make the world a better place for one person, it’s just as important as making it better for many and it goes beyond donating money,” she said. “Although I’m not discouraging donating money, there are also a lot of people that aren’t financially able to support organizations. I want to encourage them to find ways of giving back beyond the financial side of things.”
So far, Meyer noted that about 20 families have reached out with stories of volunteerism.
“Some of the stories are before COVID-19. For example, somebody made capes for kids at Kingston General Hospital, so they could have little superhero capes. Also, one little guy made blankets for the homeless out of Kool-Aid Jammer bags as the pouches are insulated,” she explained.
Meyer hopes youth will find volunteering projects that inspire them to make a meaningful impact.
“When you inspire kids to do something that is meaningful to them it’s an easier way of them connecting. Kids are more likely to connect when its something they can relate to,” she said.
Meyer also believes that volunteering among kids will help inspire adults to volunteer more as well.
“Kids will change the way adults behave too,” she asserts.
Beyond the COVID-19 crisis and the era of physical distancing, Meyer said she is hopeful the program can grow and develop with group activities at the museum.
Apart from their website, L&A County Museum has an Facebook page that will also showcase some of the young volunteers.
Every Wednesday, Meyer will be highlighting some of the kids who care by sharing their stories about volunteering in the community.
The acts of volunteerism do not need to have been during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meyer invites any youth who have volunteered to share their stories.
To submit a volunteer story or to view those being highlighted, visit the L&A County Museum website at: www.lennox-addington.on.ca/kids-who-care.