by Sharon Jackson
KAGAWONG – Sarah Joyce (aged 10) one of a family of four children likes to be involved in volunteering because it “makes the environment a safe place for people and animals” when she helps clean up the roadsides during the Island wide community clean up held prior to Earth Day. Last year she and her siblings David (12), Tommy (7) and Joshua (5) covered 10 kilometers of road. This year they hope to reach 11 km.
Joshua pitches in because “it helps keep the seagulls safe from all the cups and other garbage”.
The proceeds from bottles they collected last year were turned in to the Gore Bay Bruins hockey association even though none of them played hockey, but some of their friends do.
Last summer the Joyce family received the Youth Citizen of the Year award for Billings township for their volunteer efforts. A well deserved honour.
Tommy likes “helping in my classroom and helping my teacher because sometimes classmates just wander off.”
David “likes watching people have fun, and lots of the things we do require volunteers (for us to have fun) so this is how I can help others (have fun).”
The Joyce kids are busy and participate in different activities depending on the time of year. They enjoy karate, baseball, soccer and the Manitoulin Streams Youth Rangers program which taught kids how to make maple syrup, and curling. Sarah was in the MSS musical Something Rotten.
David also likes to help Mr Panton with the fish they are raising at CC McLean Public School in Gore Bay. David and Sarah also helped with the annual Easter egg hunt in Kagawong again this year as they love watching community and school friends enjoying these events.
A big thank to you David, Sarah, Tommy and Joshua for paying it forward and showing how they go above and beyond for their community.
