Leah Anderson, '06 BA

Leah Anderson, '06 BA, spends more than 100 hours a year volunteering within the Edmonton community. She first told us about her passion for volunteering through the Office of Alumni Relations' Share Your Volunteer Story form. At the 2014 Volunteer Summit, her enthusiasm for being involved - whether on campus or through Edmonton's Master Composter Recycler program - shone through as an important aspect of being an active citizen.

Tell us how you stay connected to campus through volunteerism.

Meeting up with other alumni helps me feel connected to the traditions and history of the university. Part of me would like to be a perpetual student, but as a volunteer I get to remain connected to the energy, enthusiasm and excitement on campus - without the homework.

Why do you think it's important for grads to volunteer their time?

I think volunteering your time matters because money doesn't change the world as much as your effort will. Taking the knowledge you gained while completing your degree and sharing it with as many people as possible is how you make a real difference to your local and global communities.

Do you volunteer for other organizations? Where?

I volunteer with Homeward Trust, an agency working to end homelessness in Edmonton. They co-ordinate Homeless Connect events twice a year that provide free essential services like dental care, tax preparation and housing information to homeless and at-risk people. I feel as though I gain a deeper and more compassionate understanding of the world.

I am also involved with Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters. I help support the team there that works to match "littles" with their "bigs." The staff there is so dedicated and I am honoured to be a small part of their team.

I also just completed the Master Composter Recycler program run through the City of Edmonton and have begun helping educate and inspire residents to reduce the amount of household waste going to the landfill. It is amazing to see the impact this has on the health of our city and its citizens. I love the chance to "talk trash" with so many different people.

I like to donate my time to festivals throughout the year: theatre, craft beer, film or any other cause/culture I feel helps Edmonton to become an even greater city.

Next year, I want to get more intensely involved with Sustainable Food Edmonton. I just have to figure out where to find the time.

What does volunteering mean to you?

Giving my time to make the world a better place.

What impact has volunteering had on you? On others?

Volunteering makes me a more patient person. I often want to change things with an urgency that burns me out; volunteering is my way of practising slow progress. I do not have a magic wand that can undo damage, but I can speak with one person at a time and support them on their journey through life.

What advice would you give to people looking to volunteer?

Pick any topic you have a passion for and find a group that shares it. Find your volunteer roles organically through a community with shared vision, and the time you give will give back to you. Avoid taking on volunteer roles that look good to others unless they feel good to you.

Share a story or a memory from your time volunteering.

At one of my first Homeless Connect events, I was at the clothing station helping guests find what they needed. I had a lady ask me if we had any purses. We didn't. I felt this wave of emotion wash over me; never having had to live without the dignity of a purse was a privilege I had never recognized. It was humbling and galvanizing. I began asking my friends and family to donate purses for the event. As I continue working at the clothing station, those purses often catch my eye. They are symbolic to me of how making one small change in the world can have a significant impact on the lives of others.

On average, how many hours per month do you volunteer?

It varies between six and 30 hours a month. My goal for 2014 was 150 hours, but I am thinking I need to raise it because I will likely exceed it by August based on how this year has gone.

Anything else you would like to add?

At the U of A Alumni Relation's 2014 Volunteer Summit, one of the speakers said: "If you want to change the world, set bold goals." That sentiment is only part of the truth I have come to understand through volunteering. I think the balance of it is this: If you want to meet those goals, you need passionate people to help you. Whether volunteering is causation or correlation, volunteers are people filled with passion.