With the summer months, it’s easy to get caught up in the spirit of entertaining oneself, drop the scheduling when vacation times rolls along and just making every effort to soak up the sun and heat – an all too brief experience for Central Albertans.
Certainly nothing wrong with that, particularly in a climate where the bulk of the year is spent in less than ideal temperatures and weather conditions.
But while vacations are planned and enjoyed, of course, the issues and demands of life carry on as per usual. That includes local organizations who must continue to fundraise and rely on the public’s generosity in order to carry on their missions and mandates. The need also extends to volunteer support as well.
For example, Canadian Blood Services has pointed out that the summer months can be a challenging time – people’s donation routines which are usually firmly established in the colder months can get a bit lost in the shuffle of summer’s list of holiday plans and activities. But that doesn’t mean the need for blood drops.
According to CBC, approximately every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood. In fact, according to a recent poll, 52% of Canadians say they, or a family member, have needed blood or blood products for surgery or for medical treatment. The call is out – as it is year-round – for a consistent supply of donors to keep dropping by even when the temperatures soar. Before summer kicks in, back in June, the organization sets aside a week to get the word out – and works to keep that message connecting with the public all summer.
Other organizations that can be affected in the summer months are food banks. As with blood donations, the need doesn’t drop off depending on the time of year. It’s important that we as a community remember to lend a helping hand. It’s awful to think that there are many families and individuals in our midst who continue to struggle to simply put food on the table.
As with the demand for blood donations, if more people would take the time to give, these organizations could go about their work without the stress of wondering how to further stretch their resources. It’s really about everybody doing their part – no matter how small it might seem to be.
There is no doubt of the solid support that is offered by Red Deerians through the year. Time and again, we in the media hear officials in the non-profit sector praise the public for their help. It’s an inspiring thing to know, and something that certainly defines the nature of this community – and hopefully continues to define it – no matter what time of year it is.
