Red Deer’s Roger Quick has been volunteering his time to assist people at times of great need for nearly a decade.
Volunteers like Quick are being celebrated from April 14-20 during National Volunteer Week, which provides Canadians with a chance to celebrate the impact of volunteerism.
The 55-year-old man, who works for an oilfield company, has volunteered with the Canadian Red Cross for nine years as an emergency responder.
“When there’s a house fire, flood or a personal disaster, we have teams of people rotating on call to help them through the first 72 hours – we help with their basic needs,” Quick said, adding there are two levels of responses for the Canadian Red Cross.
“A single household fire is what we would call a local response. Then we have large-scale disaster responses, so things like the Calgary flood, Fort McMurray wildfire or the wildfires we had this past summer.”
During the 2023 wildfire season, Quick was one of many who supported people evacuated from their homes in Drayton Valley, Edson, Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. He also helped people return to their homes in Drayton Valley and Edson when it was safe to do so.
Quick used to volunteer as a hockey coach as well. He discovered Canadian Red Cross through that venture.
“A mother of one of the kids I coached invited me to an open house that the Red Cross was having. My kids were finishing with hockey and I was looking for a way to volunteer and give back to my community,” he said.
“I checked out a few different organizations and the Red Deer was the one that felt like a good fit. The humanitarian part of it really drew me to it. I knew it was something I could do to give back. Volunteering gives you a connection to your community and … helping people in their times of need gives you a feeling of satisfaction – it’s hard to put into words.”
National Volunteer Week is a great time to acknowledge the work of those who volunteer with various organizations, Quick added.
“Some of then nicest people I’ve met are those who have the want to volunteer,” he said.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the Canadian Red Cross are encouraged to visit www.redcross.ca/volunteer.
“We’re actively looking for people in the Central Alberta region right now,” he noted.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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