HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-01-24, Page 3The Huron Expositor • January 24, 2007 Page 3
News
Travelling to Winnipeg with Katimavik program
is experience of a lifetime, says Corrine Bos
Jeff H e u c h e r t
With five months of participating
in the Katimavik program already
behind her, Corrine Bos said she
still has plenty of travelling and
sight seeing to do before she's ready
to come home.
Bos, the daughter of
Marris and Tina, in a
phone interview earli-
er this week, said she's
had a wonderful time
travelling across the
country with her
group, taking part in
opportunities she
would otherwise have
never had.
"This is certainly an
experience of a life-
time. It's not often you
can travel around
Canada without having
to pay for anything," she said.
"I was very lucky to be chosen,
because (Katimavik) had over
10,000 applications," Bos added.
Founded in 1977, the Katimavik
program provides Canadian youth
with the opportunity to travel
across the country and engage in
volunteer services.
Nearly 1,200 participants take
part each year in more than 100
communities across Canada, accord-
ing to the program's website.
For nine months, people ages 17
to 21 live in groups of 11, in three
different communities throughout
the country. They work 35 hours a
week on volunteer community pro-
jects in addition to participating in
structured learning activities.
"Katimavik fosters participants'
personal development through com-
munity involvement, training and
group life,". the website goes on to
state.
For Bos, 18, applying for
Katimavik was an easy decision.
"I really like to trav-
el. Also, I wasn't really
wanting to go to school
right after graduating
(from St. Anne's in
2006). So this way I
thought I could travel
and contribute to
something at the same
tinge," she said.
From Sept. 20
through Dec. 13, Bos
'and her group lived
and volunteered in St.
/ Boniface, Winnipeg, a
small French-speaking
It's not often
you can travel
around Canada
without having
to pay for
anything,' --
Corrine Bos
community.
There she volunteered at a food
distribution centre for area food
banks.
"I really like it there. It was phys-
ical labour, but everyone there was
amazing and really nice," she said,
adding that since the food banks in
the Winnipeg area have very few
full-time employees, they heavily
rely on volunteers to get food dis-
tributed.
While in Winnipeg, the group vis-
ited Manitoba's provincial parlia-
ment buildings and even had the
opportunity to participate in some
local festivals.
The group's next stop was to Port
Colborne, where they'll be staying
until March 14.
United Way surpasses
goal with $250,000
The Huron United Way, raising
$250,000 this year, has raised more
money than ever before, says board
chair Randy Stanlake.
"We had a very dedicated staff
team and an enthusiastic group of
employee campaign co-ordinators
who did a tremendous job in their
workplaces," says Stanlake.
"We also feel that the work we are
doing with the Community Matters
Consultation process has been rais-
ing awareness and educating people
about how we do make a difference
in their community," he says.
Highlights of this campaign
would be the record achievements
at Sifto, Dashwood Industries and
both the public and separate school
campaigns.
Another successful Amazing Race
and the CN Tower Climb both
added significant revenue to the
campaign.
"What a thrill to announce
achievement of our goal," says exec-
utive director Kimberley Payne.
"Our volunteer and staff team
worked relentlessly to achieve the
this goal. We are deeply grateful to
everyone who made a contribution
of their very valuable resources of
time and money."
The Huron United Way is a local
non-profit agency investing in
Huron County through its 12 fund-
ed agencies.
For more information, please con-
tact the Huron United Way at 519-
524-7900 or email huronunited-
way@tcc.on.ca
And since she's now only a three-
hour drive from home, Bos said she
is planning a weekend trip in March
with her group to Seaforth, where
she plans to show her new friends
around town and some area sites.
But maybe the biggest advantage
to being so close to home came over
the holidays, when her family was
able to travel to Port Colborne for a
Christmas dinner with her and the
entire group, and spend a couple of
days visiting.
In Port Colborne, Bos is volun-
teering at a drug
rehabilitation
centre, currently
working the front
desk.
"It's a big
change. I haven't
been in a situa-
tion like this, so
there's lots to
learn," she said.
Bos added that
prior to the group
leaving for their
last stop (in
Parksville,
British Columbia), the group is
planning a trip to Ottawa.
Bos said she fully understood the
sort of jobs and activities she would
be involved with throughout the
program, however, what she didn't
expect was all the new friendships
she's made along the way
"At first, you don't know what
you've gotten into. We all had our
ups and downs," she said. "But they
become your family. You're with
them 24 hours a day."
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