An open letter to our Volunteers:
This week is national Volunteer Appreciation week! We are honoured to be able to celebrate all of you amazing volunteers who give your time and energy to support the Orangeville food bank. This week we celebrate and recognize the incredible work that you do and the impact that you have on our community. You make a difference!
Each and every one of you plays a critical role in making a difference in the lives of those in need. Your dedication, your hard work, and your commitment are what keep our food bank running smoothly so we can continue to provide food and our services to those who need it most.
We know that the need is greater then ever, we also know that some days may feel heavier then others. Those are the days when we may be feeling like a big storm passed over , and the demands for our services may feel overwhelming.
This is where we want to share with you a story that embodies the spirit of people who can and are making a difference. Many of you may know the Starfish Theory story, and some of you may be thinking…..Oh not this again?! Be happy we are only giving you the shortened version of what, As it turns out, the original story, The Star Thrower by Dr. Loren Eiseley, is more complex. More nuanced. And much more detailed: The Star Thrower is a twenty-six page essay that appears in his book, The Unexpected Universe. Published in 1969
But once a upon a time , There was a girl walking along the beach, throwing starfish back into the ocean so they may live, after they had been washed up on shore after a big storm and the tide was out. A passerby asked her why she was bothering, as there were thousands of starfish on the beach and she could never save them all, she couldn’t possibly make a difference because there were miles of beach of washed up starfish . Then the little girl picked up another starfish and threw it back into the ocean, and said, “It made a difference to that one.”
The Starfish Theory reminds us that every small act of kindness and generosity can make a big difference in someone’s life. You are the embodiment of that theory, and the reason that our food bank is able to help so many people in our community.
You have much to be proud of. In whatever way you contribute to the organization, please know your contributions are invaluable. You may never know the full impact of the work that you do, but to the person who receives our services, or your kind word, your actions mean everything.
So on behalf of the food bank and the community you serve, we express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you. You make our world a better place, and your contributions do not go unnoticed. Please keep up the good work that you do! Thank you for making the difference. Thank you for being the rockstars, the superheroes, and thank you for being our starfish savers!
Comments