FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 17, 2009

CANADA CELEBRATES NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK 2009
THOUSANDS OF ORGANIZATIONS WILL PARTICIPATE IN RECOGNIZING THEIR VOLUNTEERS WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEER CANADA

OTTAWA – National Volunteer Week, the country’s biggest celebration and recognition campaign of volunteers, runs from April 19 to 25.  Through the National Volunteer Week website (volunteer.ca/nvw), created by Volunteer Canada, hundreds of individuals and organizations have submitted photos and videos of “volunteers in action,” and thousands more have used the site’s resources to plan their own volunteer recognition events.

“The economic recession is a difficult time for all of us, “said Ruth MacKenzie, president of Volunteer Canada.  “But many are using this time to roll up their sleeves, share their skills, and better their communities and the lives of others.”

“The National Volunteer Week website is proof that the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in this country.”

Ms. MacKenzie will be available for interviews throughout National Volunteer Week to speak and respond to questions about the national campaign, the importance of volunteer recognition, the current trends on volunteerism, and the impact of volunteers on Canada’s society and economy. 

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For more information or to book an interview with Ruth MacKenzie, please contact:
Jung-Suk Ryu
Manager of Communications
Volunteer Canada
Tel: (613) 231-4371 ext. 226
Cell: (613) 266-9427
jryu@volunteer.ca

About Volunteer Canada www.volunteer.ca
Volunteer Canada is the national voice for volunteerism in Canada. Since 1977, the organization has been committed to increasing and supporting volunteerism and civic participation through ongoing programs, special projects and national initiatives, by developing resources and by engaging in research and training across the country. Working with volunteer centres, community and national organizations and businesses, Volunteer Canada actively leads national dialogues on how volunteerism is related to citizen engagement and civil society and provides leadership on issues and trends in the Canadian volunteer movement.

National Volunteer Week was first proclaimed in 1943 as an initiative to draw the public's attention to the vital contribution of women to the war effort on the home front.  In the late 1960s, the focus was revived and broadened to include all community volunteers.  With the support of Investors Group, Volunteer Canada is proud to be leading the celebrations once again.