SHAFAQNA – There’s a group of volunteers across Canada that hope to log a million hours giving back to their communities — and the Calgary contingent was in full swing Sunday.
About 100 Ismaili Muslims spent the afternoon digging potatoes at the Grow Calgary acreage, a volunteer farm that donates its harvest.
In total, 500 volunteers showed up at non-profits and service providers, like Inn from the Cold, the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter and the Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre.
Co-ordinator Alisha Visanji says it’s become a challenge just keeping track of the hours.
“We had another 100 come out to make sandwiches for the Drop-In Centre. We’ve had people sorting clothing donations at Women in Need Society, city park cleanups, the Terry Fox Run, Habitat for Humanity,” Visanji said.
“The list goes on.”
They say it’s about honouring Canada’s 150th anniversary.
National co-ordinator Tasneem Rahim will tally the numbers with others Canada-wide.
The Calgary goal is 200,000 hours — and Rahim says they won’t stop until they’ve reached it.
“My 93-year-old grandmother was out making peanut butter sandwiches with me this afternoon, and that was part of it too. It was bringing together community to help Calgarians, one Calgarian at a time. That’s what it was about for us today,” she explained.
“We feel very privileged to be in Canada and Calgary, and so you know, it’s our thing to give back.”