National Volunteer Week is from April 27 to May 3, 2025 and this year’s theme, “Volunteers Make Waves” celebrates the ways volunteers create ripple effects, one action at a time. Across the country, volunteers bring their energy, time, and heart to the non-profit sector, enabling greater impact in communities across the country. On behalf of everyone at the Guelph Community Foundation, we want to say a huge thank you to the exceptional volunteers we work alongside!
This appreciation week we are joining organizations across Canada to celebrate the amazing volunteers we have, from coast-to-coast-to-coast! We are happy to join Volunteer Canada and many other organizations as we recognize the contributions of over 24 million volunteers nationally.
Each day we’ll be featuring some of the fantastic volunteers we have here at the Foundation through posts on our social media channels. Below you’ll find all these features as we highlight some of the incredible GCF volunteers who are making waves of positive change!
Starting off with the Chair of our (amazing) Board of Directors and volunteer with us since 2018, Carly!
“With Guelph Community Foundation, I can volunteer with one organization and impact many. It’s efficient, meaningful and with an impressive team.” – Carly
Carly has been very active this past year, dedicating countless hours in supporting the staff, working with fundholders, and with helping with our transition to a new Executive Director.
We thank the whole of the board of directors, as this group of incredible volunteers is the backbone of our Foundation. Without their dedication, time, and energy we wouldn’t be able to have the impact and connections that we do today! Not only do they offer up their time and insights as board members, but each of them are also on additional volunteer committees at GCF. Carly, Eric, Hilary, Justin, Roger, Hilary, Jaime, Mark, Dhruv, Ray, Karyn, Celeste and Crista, Thank you!
Thank you to our (also amazing) Vice-Chair to the Board of Directors and volunteer with us for nearly five years, Eric!
In addition to sharing his time and positive attitude, as a CFO he also brings excellent financial advice to the Foundation. Eric has been so helpful in our strategic planning, stewardship efforts, and financial planning. Thank you!
Eric is also the chair of our Nominations Committee. This Committee helps with volunteer recruitment and nominates new candidates to join the board of directors. Thank you to Eric, Carly, Cinthuja and Crista!
Thank you to Board of Directors member and Foundation volunteer of over 5 years Crista! Crista has made huge contributions to our grant process, as well as our Nominations Committee, our stewardship efforts and so much more! Thank you to Crista for lending an empathetic ear, and for always being ready with great suggestions whenever asked.
As an HR expert we really appreciate her contributions to the HR Sub-Committee. We share this thanks with the other wonderful member Jill!
Ray is a volunteer rockstar with a long history of volunteering across Guelph. He is one of our Board of Directors, the Chair of our Events Committee and volunteers with our Grants Committee, and so much more!
“I came to the city of Guelph and they welcomed me with open arms. For that, I work with the Guelph Community Foundation to give back the support and assistance I received from this great community.” – Ray
Thank you to Ray, and to everyone on our Events Committee: Carly, Chris, Hilary, Dianne, Bev, Hilary and the new incoming members!
Jaime is not only a Board Member, but we are so lucky to have her also as the Chair of our Investment Committee. Her entrepreneurial spirit, wise investing advice and cheerful attitude make her a joy to work alongside!
“I volunteer on the board of the Guelph Community Foundation because I’m passionate about building a stronger, more connected community. It’s an opportunity to contribute to meaningful, lasting change by supporting local initiatives and helping ensure resources reach the people and projects that need them most.” – Jaime
The dedicated volunteers of the Investment Committee are crucial to the functioning of The Foundation as they support us in fund stewardship and investing, which is how our funds grow and can be distributed where they are needed. Thank you to our Investment Committee: Jaime, Scott, Hilary, Steve, Eric & Chris!
Justin is not only a community minded member of our board, and but has been an incredible resource for strategic planning and is the chair of our Grants Committee. Justin really embodies the concept of being community minded and is always bringing fresh ideas to the table. We so appreciate his research based strategic thinking!
The Grants Committee volunteers helps us achieve one of the most fundamental aspects of what GCF stands for – providing grants to the charities of Guelph and Wellington County. A big thank you to the whole hardworking Grants Committee: Beth, Catherine, Joanne, Justin, Andrew, Krista, Ray, Hilary, Mark, Dhruv, Michelle, Dan & Chelsea.
Thank you to board member and researcher-extraordinaire Celeste! Thank you for sharing your time, skills, and creativity to leading our Strategy Committee. Helping us plan for the future of the Foundation and your leadership has been so valuable during these transitional times. We are excited to work with Celeste in planning for the Foundation’s future as we work through our 25th year!
We are so incredibly appreciative of the unending support we’ve received from Hilary over the years. Thank you for your support in our Grants Committee, Events Committee, Investment Committee, and so much more! Hilary is the Secretary-Treasurer for our Board of Directors and has been an invaluable volunteer since its very early days in 2004. She’s been a highly trusted fixture in this community and is an absolute joy to work with. From her financial perspectives to her stellar fashion choices, we simply can’t say thank you enough!!
“I like to volunteer with the Guelph Community Foundation because we support the organizations in Guelph that do the work that really matters in our community.” – Hilary
Such a huge thank you to volunteer and bright ray of sunshine in our office, Bev! As an office volunteer she’s been a long time hero of the Foundation, helping everything run smoothly and efficiently, with a smile. Ask anyone, Bev being in the office makes every day better!
“I love my community, and when I volunteer at the Guelph Community Foundation I feel that I am helping, in a small way, to improve the lives of many of my fellow citizens.” – Bev
The Foundation simply wouldn’t be the same without Bill! As a co-founder and GCF’s very first fundholder, Bill has been donating both his funds and his time with the Guelph Community Foundation for the past 25 years! These days he’s been instrumental in helping with the thanking of our donors and in making connections with this amazing community. We can’t thank Bill enough for his continued passion!
“I support the GCF because together we can create a legacy.” – Bill
We extend a huge thanks and appreciation for the over 30 volunteers who dedicate their time and energy in supporting the Foundation. Thank you to Andrew, Barbara, Beth, Bev, Bill, Carly, Catherine, Celeste, Chelsea, Chris, Cinthuja, Crista, Dan, Devin, Dhruv, Dianne, Eric, Hilary C, Hilary M, Jaime, Jill, Joanne, Justin, Karyn, Krista, Laurie, Mark, Michelle, Ray, Renata, Roger, Scott, Steve and everyone!
Each individual volunteer contribution, big or small, creates momentum and has the power to influence and inspire, joining a wave of positive change!