Volunteering with HIV Edmonton, a posting by Leah Read

I feel like I should have a ready response when people ask me why I volunteered with HIV Edmonton, but the truth is a little difficult to express.

When I volunteered with HIV Edmonton, I experienced things and met people I never would have otherwise. Whether it was skipping along dressed as a fairy at the Pride parade, or having the privilege of listening to the story of a positive speaker, my experiences with HIV Edmonton were fun, sometimes bizarre, but always worthwhile.

A quality I truly admire about HIV Edmonton is the organization’s commitment to empower through education. By refusing to shy away from touchy subjects, support workers and community educators are able to communicate openly and honestly about the source of the issues involved. It is inspiring to see an organization address the underlying issues of HIV realistically and work past the stigma and shame associated with the virus. Volunteering with HIV Edmonton required self-awareness and the desire to continue learning, and this was both encouraging and challenging.

Although I enjoyed many aspects of volunteering: the challenge of working reception, the encouragement to be creative in designing posters and educational materials, and the  satisfaction of seeing a successful speaker series as with the legacy events, none of these things alone are my reason for volunteering.

It is the experience of being a part of something much greater than me, contributing just a little to a successful event, and being one small piece of a larger puzzle that is the real reward and inspiration for volunteering.