Oh Hello … Dorothee here! As you know, I usually like to share stories of people in our community but today I am going to share my KCR story, the “full circle moment” of how my dream of building a family led to my dream job and how, through my job, I now get to implement my long-held dream of creating a volunteer Community Crew that KCR Community Resources, with funding from our amazing partners at the Prospera Foundation, will launch this summer.

Growing up in a close, large family, I always knew that I wanted kids and yet, by the time I was in my late 30s, that still hadn’t happened. It was time to take matters into my own hands and I contacted the Adoption Centre of British Columbia (ACBC). My world personally and professionally has changed dramatically because of this. The team at ACBC were so incredible to work with. Encouraging, caring and authentic only begin the list of positive adjectives I can use to describe the team. I will forever be grateful for their support in helping me build my dream of a family through the adoption of my (yikes!) now 18-year-old son Zhen.

My adoption journey then led to being connected to KCR as an organization that I trusted and whose values strongly aligned with my own. An agency that has the community at its heart, was exactly what I believed in and where I wanted to share my skills and expertise. I joined the fantastic team as a contract project coordinator for the Immigrant Services and Community Services departments while also producing community festivals and events. In 2019 I was fortunate to join the KCR team full-time in my current role, leading the Community Services team and the amazing things we get to do. My job combines all of my loves: strengthening and empowering volunteers, non-profit organizations and the people that work in this sector. I also have the honour of working on social equity initiatives that focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and making our society, work spaces and community more welcoming and just.

As someone who has spent many years volunteering myself (and yes admittedly, often volun-telling my family and friends too) I firmly believe in the intrinsic value of volunteering. When we give of ourselves, we receive immense value in return. As a volunteer manager, recruiting, training and working with volunteers is also a joy and I value the gift volunteers share in building community. It’s a win-win.

Producing festivals and community events, having a corps group of volunteers that come and help year after year, makes a world of difference. Of course, not everyone can return each year, but having key roles undertaken by volunteers who are already trained, vetted, trusted and skilled, is a huge boon, for the organizers, the volunteers and the community. Making it the perfect win-win-win scenario.

My dream for many years has been to create a Community Crew that can serve this purpose – be frontline volunteers that can be deployed to help at community events and festivals and enhance the experience of attendees, organizers and other volunteers. And at the same time, create a team of volunteers that get to work together, sharing the opportunity to build community and be a part of the excitement and life that festivals and events bring.

Thanks to the Prospera Foundation and their belief in volunteerism and community, we are able to launch the KCR Community Crew. Are you interested in being a part of this new project? Check out our listing on the VolunteerConnector.org or contact Wendy Williams, the Volunteer Centre Coordinator, at wendyw@kcr.ca. Are you coordinating an event and want to engage the Community Crew? Also contact Wendy.

And yes, if you are wondering, we are approaching the creation of this Crew with a DEI lens, fully inviting the rich diversity of people in our community to be a part of this team. We want you and we need you! Come, build community with us.