Why Volunteer in the Community at Large?

Why do I Volunteer with the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Center...I really had to ponder this. I mean why does anyone volunteer anywhere, I am sure there are many different reasons for many different people. So I looked it up and here is what I found as the top 10 reasons why people volunteer 

1. Help others 
2. Make new friends 
3. Learn new skills 
4. Test out career options 
5. Gain work experience 
6. Develop personal leadership ability 
7. Receive professional training
8. Be recognized  
9. Develop new skills 
10. Be part of a team 

I started thinking about when I first signed up to Volunteer with the Vancouver Aquarium, my boyfriend at the time and I were looking for something to do together. Something fun, exciting and free. We spent an amazing summer meeting new people and getting a chance to make a difference helping over 150 sick seal pups we helped rehabilitate them. I have been able to work with many marine animals from porpoise, seal, sea lions and penguins. We were able to spend every Sunday night at the Marine Mammal Rescue and made good friends with those other volunteers and employees. 

But big picture years later I married that boyfriend of mine and had a baby girl. The people we met while volunteering were so wonderful that our nanny for my precious baby girl is actually someone we met while volunteering.  And we recently started hunting for Co-op housing and we got a reference from the Vancouver Aquarium to help us secure membership in to the Co-op. Am I saying to you that if you volunteer you will get married, find a nanny and Co-op housing, no but you never know what will come from volunteering 4 hours a week of your time.

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Webpage