I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
-Albert Schweitzer
ValleyLinks workers Tyler Voigt, Jasmine Badrin, Bev Campbell, John Nicholson, Tricia Scavarda, Adda Vallevand and Gail Pasch at their office.
Photo by Boomer Jerritt
As with so many worthy organizations in a community that is known for its caring nature, ValleyLinks, “the home of Volunteer Comox Valley,” knows well it could not continue to exist without those who give unstintingly to what it does.
It has been that way right from the beginning back in 1997. But, as technology has changed, so has ValleyLinks—quite radically since its inception, according to executive director Bev Campbell.
While Campbell hasn’t been at ValleyLinks since its inception (she came on board as a volunteer in 2000), the rest has been history, as they say.
“I thought I’d step in for a few months,” she says. “But then I found myself getting intrigued by what was taking place here and when the position of executive director came up, I made a bid for it. And I love it. It’s so exciting here and there have been so many changes in a positive way that I maintain my enthusiasm.”
She adds that the combination of hard-working and dedicated volunteers, combined with an excellent paid staff, keep the business operating in the direction of its vision.
So, what exactly is ValleyLinks? Its projects are threefold: There is ValleyLinks itself, which is designed to build and strengthen communications through collaboration, communication and information technologies; there is Volunteer Comox Valley, which is dedicated to enhancing volunteerism through the delivery of community information resources, services and programs; and there is Community Access Program (CAP), which is the Islands Community Network, which works with communities to develop and implement information and communication technologies in support of Healthy Communities.
So, at one level the umbrella of ValleyLinks is a bit of technology that serves the community, but at a more important level it is a part of that overall network of human services in the community. Both are of equal importance. Funding comes from Industry Canada, and is renewable every year, so Campbell notes they never know for certain if they’ll be able to keep going.
“All funding is annual,” Campbell says. “It runs from April 1 to March 31 each year. However, with the last federal budget there seemed to be a recognition that access is a vital component of a community or area. People have a right to know.”
She notes that the same program funds our libraries, though funding sources for the CAP programs vary.
It is important that ValleyLinks is up-to-the-minute in terms of technology and she notes how the scenario has changed so much since the beginning. At the same time, she adds, “we still get people coming in who don’t know how to send an email, so we can’t assume this technology is second-nature to everyone. Others want to know how to access Skype and other services and they don’t have the equipment at home. This is where we can be of major assistance.”
Among ValleyLinks’ services is free access to computers and the internet as well as training elements such as blog site creation and blog hosting. Meanwhile there is equipment available to the public, such as overhead projectors, digital projectors and screens. And it is here that ValleyLinks’ youth internship program comes into play.
“Our youth interns are excellent in getting people started,” Campbell says. “This program has been a huge success.
The programs run for three months and are designed to develop skills in information and communication technologies, and then to have the interns put those skills to work in the direction of bettering the community. It also enables young people to build their resumes, to work with people and discover how their talents can make a difference.
The Volunteer Centre was created in 2004 and came about with the realization that the public was seeking a “physical centre,” Campbell says. The result of that was the creation of the computer lab. And it has been such a success that it serves up to 3,000 people a year. Current director of Volunteer Services is Adda Vallevand.
The lab consists of nine computers accessible to the public, as well as a printing service. Most of the services are free to the public. “The services are used by people from all walks of life,” Campbell says. “We have affluent users, and homeless people as well. All are welcome.”
She says that the lab has been much more actively used since ValleyLinks set up in its current location at 532 Fifth Street in Courtenay; close to downtown for those traveling on foot.
Campbell is joined by the other full or part time paid employees of ValleyLinks. They include Tyler Voigt, technology coordinator; Jasmine Badrin, provincial CAP coordinator; Gail Pasch, financial coordinator; and John Nicholson, receptionist.
“Despite all the changes over the years, the ValleyLinks website is still very active,” Campbell says. “The primary focus is on the non-profit sector in the community, and we provide access to relevant information. Our motto: ‘Your Gateway to Community Information’ still guides what we do and who we are.”
Since the current age is very much an electronic one in terms of communication, ValleyLinks does a lot of linking to websites. In similar context, for those seeking to get an organization’s message out, ValleyLinks can teach how to create a presence via a blog. It’s free and it satisfies most of the criteria that can be found with a website.
“We have a lot of resources to offer those who don’t have the money to follow more traditional processes,” Campbell says.
She cites as an example a project recently undertaken in the remote and isolated aboriginal community Kingcome Inlet on the Mainland coast following disastrous flooding in September 2010. In its wake the flood left much devastation in the tiny community. “We set up an adult learning centre,” Campbell says. “We provided laptops for the community and they’re housed in the small library and it provides access that they didn’t have in the past.”
Tricia Scavarda and Adda Vallevand gear up to make this holiday season a safe driving one with the help of Operation Red Nose.
Photo by Boomer Jerritt
ORN is a Canada-wide designated-driver program that was first launched in Quebec back in 1984. It’s designed to make a free driver service available to those who have been drinking or do not feel fit to drive and it allows members of the public to arrive home safely in their own vehicles. The service is free, but donations are gratefully accepted—donations are turned over to youth programs.
“We receive no outside funding for this,” Campbell says. “We do it through sponsorships and people have been very generous. The Lions’ Clubs have made significant donations, as has the City of Courtenay and the Comox Fire Department, and we’re grateful to them all. Last year we got a considerable sum from an anonymous donor and that kept it going.”
This year ORN has commitments from the City of Courtenay, the Comox Valley Record, the local RCMP Detachment and Sure Copy, as well as many local volunteers.
The objective of ORN is an obvious one, and that is “to keep everybody safe in the Christmas season.”
“If somebody is in an accident it impacts so many people,” Campbell says. “Thanks to our volunteers we can avoid that as much as possible.”
In regards to the volunteers, she adds, there is a desperate need for people to come on board and lend a hand. If you can spare some time, ORN would love to hear from you.
“If you are looking for a fun opportunity to give back to the community and keep our roads safer, either as a volunteer, a local supporter, or if your organization would like to volunteer as a team, please contact us,” Campbell says.
The ORN process demands three volunteers for each car that expedites a vehicle owner to his or her home. There is a driver, a navigator, and an escort who operates the vehicle of either the driver or navigator so that they can be picked up when the delivery is made to the home of the owner.
“And for volunteering there is great food as a bonus,” Campbell says. “Dishes are provided by various Valley restaurants.”
She adds that they would like to assure that everybody who might overindulge has a safe ride home. That is the goal, but she admits that no matter how many teams ORN has, it can’t meet the whole demand, even if that might be the objective.
As a final note for prospective ORN volunteers; no alcohol whatsoever may be consumed by the volunteers on the day of their service.
This year ORN will run every Friday and Saturday night until December 31 (excluding December 23 and 24) from 9pm to 3am in Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland and Royston.
For more information on ValleyLinks and/or Operation Red Nose call 250-804-8063 or visit their website: www.valleylinks.net