Blog  December 12, 2011

Volunteers: East Meets West

Yuen at the Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market in Toronto and Klaus working with the computers in the Vancouver Office

Our volunteers in Vancouver and Toronto may be more than 4,000 kilometres apart but their passion for making cities more livable is the same.

Yuen-Han Wong in Toronto and Klaus Rathe in Vancouver chatted recently and shared their stories with each other:

Klaus: Hi Yuen, nice to meet you. How did you first get involved with Evergreen?

Yuen: I’ve been interested in the idea of local food programs for a long time and was looking for a way to get involved in aspects of food supply and security.  There’s a Farmers' Market at Evergreen Brick Works every Saturday where I learned about Evergreen’s programs and philosophy. What about you?

Klaus: I chose Evergreen because I believe in the mission of promoting a sustainable environment and connecting nature to the city. And I had some skills they needed here in Vancouver!

Yuen: What have you been doing out there?

Klaus: I got involved this September with the IT department, when they needed help updating computer software. What about you?

Yuen: I joined in May and get out to the Brick Works whenever I can, helping with a variety of programs and all kinds of special events—everything from the farmers’ market, to face painting and assisting with programs for kids. What do you like about your role out in BC?

Klaus: It’s given me the opportunity to brush up on my IT skills and meet new people, including the wonderful staff working at the Vancouver and Toronto offices.

Yuen: For me, it’s been such a great learning experience—especially when I’m assigned tasks I’ve never done before. I remember learning a great deal about bees and their importance at one event, which was fascinating because I am not very fond of bees to say the least. It’s also great to get to know the farmers at the market and interact with so many welcoming and knowledgeable people from Evergreen’s staff and other volunteers. It really feels like a community with shared values where everyone helps each other.

Klaus: One of my favourite memories is from a time that a local fruit gleaning organization dropped off apples at the office for storage and the delicious scent of apples filled the office for weeks.

Yuen: I particularly remember my first volunteering shift where I was helping with a planting session for children at Chimney Court: we showed them wheat seeds, how they grow and how to plant them. The children could come back later and see them. Some kids were not very excited by the idea: “But my hands will get dirty!” That was, of course, part of the deal and in the end they loved it.

Klaus: Do you have volunteering plans for the future?

Yuen: Definitely! I hope that this will be a long-term commitment and I am very much looking forward to the next summer season! What about you Klaus?

Klaus: While I’ve enjoyed my IT support role, I hope to become more involved with Evergreen’s programming in the future. It was nice to meet you Yuen, thanks for taking the time to talk.

Yuen: Nice to meet you too, Klaus. Bye!