Norwood – Find a busy person and you’ll probably find a consummate volunteer.
That’s certainly what Leslie Rogers is, a volunteer with a big heart and even bigger smile.
The Asphodel-Norwood resident is the 2016 Mapleview Retirement Centre Community Appreciation Award recipient, joining a long list of distinguished individuals and groups who have enriched the lives of residents at the Norwood facility.
“The most heart-felt feeling any person can have is helping someone else to better themselves or feel good about themselves,” Rogers said. “It makes you feel good because you’ve made someone else feel good.”
Rogers says she was “totally surprised and as happy as can be” when she learned she was this year’s winner.
“It’s quite an honour to be appreciated by staff and residents at Mapleview,” she said.
Rogers volunteers in Norwood and Hastings and hopes her example is one that inspires others to give a little bit of their time.
“The future is about volunteering and without volunteering it’s going to be a sad world,” she said.
She especially hopes young people take up the volunteer’s torch.
“You don’t need to do very much at all, just talking to someone or spending time with them.”
Simple things like shovelling snow, doing some yard work, helping with errands or sharing some time together.
“Anything you would do for yourself that you know somebody else isn’t capable of doing. Take five minutes out your day and help somebody else.”
“Leslie’s compassionate; she’s here for all the right reasons,” says Tiffany Martell, Mapleview life enrichment co-ordinator.
“She’s always looking for different ways to help the community and volunteering.”
Rogers visits Mapleview monthly and even donates prizes for their Price Is Right event.
“She’s here to see the residents and doesn’t want anything else in return,” says Martell.
“Volunteering is working with other people, helping other people without any personal gain,” added Rogers.
