Andres has been a volunteer at Community Care in Apsley for 2 years. He came to us prior to our office relocation in 2019 and his initial volunteer role was to share his expertise in interior design by designing our new thrift store, Apsley Vintage and Gallery.
Andres enjoyed helping in the store so much that he decided to stay on a regular basis. He drives an hour to Apsley at least once a week and spends a full day in the store designing displays, sorting clothing and household items and anything else we need from him, he is also very handy.
Andres’s kindness and generosity are felt by everyone that meets him. He is always willing to help in any way possible, and in addition to his role in the store, he helps by taking our discarded items weekly to an alternate used clothing store in Peterborough.
Andres also played a very important role in the design of the thrift store at our Community Care location in Havelock when their office relocated this past January. We sure keep him busy, and he doesn’t often say no.
When asked what motivates Andres to volunteer he replied “a couple of years ago my partner, who is a family doctor, and I decided we wanted a change from big city life. We felt we wanted to make a contribution to a community in need and give back and we found ourselves in Apsley. Volunteering at Community Care Apsley has allowed me to gain a sense of fulfillment in my personal life.”
In the past couple of years that Andres has been with us, he has certainly seen his fair share of change, more specifically in terms of the pandemic.
Although that has come with its challenges, Andres noted “in pandemic times community-based organizations like
Community Care has become integral to meeting the increased needs of those in need, and those numbers have increased. So I have been witness to the great response that Community Care has launched in response to this devastating time.”
Andres would also recommend volunteering to anyone that has the time. His advice is to “give it a try, you may find you are getting way more back than you are giving”. He enjoys the people he meets the most – clients, volunteers and customers – and has also made some cherished connections with members of our organization. Volunteering is absolutely what Andres expected, and he says aside from knowing he is making a difference for people, it gives him a great deal of personal enjoyment and fulfilment.
When Andres is not volunteering, he works on freelance interior design projects, loves to cook and garden, loves the outdoors and spends much of his spare time caring for his dogs and riding his ATV or snowmobile.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you do Andres! Community Care is fortunate to have you on our team!
Volunteer Canada
