Volunteers Keep NSC’s Under Sail
Volunteers. They truly are a cornerstone of NSC’s foundation and vital to the club’s continued success and growth. So it was only fitting that we held a special evening to celebrate the contributions of the 250+ volunteers who fill the club’s 400 volunteer positions.
A Night Built to Celebrate
We celebrated this year’s volunteer appreciation evening on Saturday, 17 October. It featured a complimentary drink and wide selection of hot and cold appetizers, heartfelt expressions of gratitude from the Commodore and other board members, and a generous door prize: a $50 gift certificate to the NSC Bar & Galley.
How We Volunteer — and Why
The evening also included an icebreaker designed to gauge how and why club members volunteer. Responses to the “how” people volunteered included clubhouse and grounds maintenance, harbour and yard work, organizing club and community events, running member sailing programs, club launch & haul-out, regattas, Adaptive Sail, Social Day Cruising, and so much more. Although there were some very humorous responses for “why” people volunteer at the club, the underlying theme centred on giving back to the community, love of the club, love of sailing, desire to become more involved with the NSC community, providing a better sense of purpose, and strengthening social connections.
Stories, Laughter, and New Ideas
With 94 people RSVPing as attending, the event drew a large crowd and provided an excellent venue for volunteers from a wide range of areas to come together, share stories from the year’s events, and even come up with ideas for the next season.
Shout‑Out to the Teams Behind the Event
By all accounts, it was a tremendous success. Special thanks go to the Membership Committee for organizing this important event, The Galley staff for providing great service and an excellent assortment of appetizers and the NSC office staff and General Manager for their behind-the-scenes assistance coordinating logistics and providing a generous $50 gift certificate as a door prize.
For more information on volunteering at NSC check out our volunteer page.
Submitted by Peter MacDowall, Event Coordinator