GORE BAY—Being a member of a small community like Gore Bay means helping out by volunteering where it is possible, says volunteer Jeff Hietkamp.
“Volunteering is what you do in a small community,” stated Mr. Hietkamp. “It is easy to get involved in stuff and I enjoy it.”
“I think volunteering is part of a small community and I see so much of it in Gore Bay and the rest of Western Manitoulin,” said Mr. Hietkamp. “It takes my breath away with some of the things people do to help out others in the community.”
“A couple of years ago the Angel Bus needed to raise funds quickly to purchase a new bus to transport seniors around Western Manitoulin. The fundraising quickly came together and in a matter of days $35,000 was raised,” said Mr. Hietkamp
“Then there is the case of the little girl in Evansville, Sarah (Graham) who is battling cancer, and had to go to Toronto with her parents for a long period of time while she undertook treatment. The amount of money that was raised for this little girl and her family is heartwarming,” said Mr. Hietkamp.
“And the annual Frosty Cup Benefit Fundraising hockey tournament is held each year, with close to $20,000 raised through the tournament. All of these funds go to people in need,” said Mr. Hietkamp. “When it comes to these sorts of things, people have money in their pocket that they are ready and willing to share.”
As for his own volunteering efforts, Mr. Hietkamp explained, “I am currently a member of the Gore Bay Rotary Club and have been an executive member of the Gore Bay Curling Club forever.”
Mr. Hietkamp is involved in many of the activities of the Lyon’s Memorial United Church in Gore Bay, including the Food Cupboard and yard sales for example. “After the recent fire at the Woods Lane Apartment Building, where the tenants were burned out of their apartments, the church provided $200 to each resident to use at Island General Merchandise for what they needed there. The church wants to support local business and the help the church provided to the residents of the apartment building checked a lot of boxes.”
Mr. Hietkamp was one of the people who spearheaded, and is still involved in putting on the vendors’ market held weekly during the summer on Meredith Street in the town of Gore Bay.
“I was also a member of the Community Living Manitoulin board for a couple of years,” said Mr. Hietkamp. “This is another fabulous organization, and the people that work there and that they support are amazing.”
