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From the President
Dedication of Volunteers Never Ceases to Amaze Me
Editor's note: President Alastair Summerlee welcomes comments on his column at president@uoguelph.ca.
“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give." Winston Churchill
The holiday season is a time for joy and celebration, but it's also a time for reflection as we consider the hurdles and accomplishments of the past year and acknowledge the many things we can be grateful for.
I always count among my blessings the continued commitment from the people who make U of G such a wonderful place to work and live. Indeed, there are always numerous examples every year of how our University community has helped change lives and improve life.
The process of looking back is always humbling. I am continually amazed by the dedication, scope and magnitude of community initiatives such as the United Way, Meal Exchange, Project Serve and the Masai Project. Such undertakings rely totally on volunteers, and I am awed by the fact that volunteers are never in short supply.
Regular readers here will know that I've written often about my pride in the volunteer efforts of our community members. Whether it's raising money to build an AIDS clinic in Africa, collecting donations for food banks, stepping up to serve on a committee or spearheading a community effort, our faculty, students and staff always seem up to the challenge.
I constantly hear stories of faculty and staff who dedicate their time to causes such as raising funds for research on cancer and spinal cord injuries, volunteering at overseas orphanages and helping to bring refugees to Canada.
And our volunteers never seem to tire, coming up with new and unique ways to encourage giving and to exceed my expectations. Last month, students outdid themselves - again - by collecting record amounts of food and funds through the “Skip a Meal" and Halloween “Trick or Eat" campaigns, part of the national student-run Meal Exchange program. And just last week, students and other members of the community used their collective strength to pull 17,000-pound tractors and help raise $12,000 for Sunshine Dreams for Kids.
It was also just announced that as a community, we once again exceeded our fundraising goal for the United Way, raising more than $370,000 - an unbelievable accomplishment!
It is important to remember that volunteerism is not only in the service of people with need. That same spirit of volunteerism and those values are what impel faculty, staff, students, administrators and people from outside the University to lend their time and talents to the University, including senators, members of Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees and alumni volunteers. These people bring varied talents, expertise, backgrounds and perspectives to what is essentially a volunteer governance role. It's easy to overlook the efforts of these dedicated volunteers, but their contributions are also important and valued.
A large part of the job that we ask these citizen leaders to take on is setting the direction toward a viable, vibrant community where teaching and research flourish. That means we need them to be leaders who are committed to a shared vision for the University and who are prepared to engage in enlivening the institution's vision and to become stewards of that vision.
That's not an easy task - in fact, it can be downright thankless at times. For we ask these volunteers to undertake challenges and meaningful work on and for the University, even when “challenging" may at times shade into “difficult" or “daunting."
So this year, as I am reviewing the many contributions of our University volunteers, I want to offer a special “thank you" to the external volunteers for the commitment they have shown and for their engagement in their governance roles and in the University.
I also want to add a special note here about another one of our volunteers: chancellor Lincoln Alexander, who has served for an unprecedented five terms. I was delighted to take part in a recent celebration to mark the publication of his memoir, Go to School, You're a Little Black Boy. As I remarked at the gathering, Lincoln embodies what our University community and, indeed, our country should aspire to be. He has overcome obstacles, has been a fearless advocate and has selflessly devoted himself to promoting education, equality and fairness - qualities he has displayed in his governance role at Guelph for the past 15 years.
I will be reflecting back on the chancellor's many years of service - to U of G, Ontario and all of Canada - as I recap the challenges and triumphs of 2006. The chancellor, those who serve on our governing boards and our campus community members who give so freely to volunteer initiatives are truly inspiring. They give us all something to think about as we prepare to flip the calendar to a new year.