Volunteering – It’s A Family Affair! –
Carol’s memories of the Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre (HSCPC) go all the way to back to when she was a child coming out for “Trick or Treat” on Hastings Street and getting candy from costumed volunteers at the HSCPC.
Fast forward to 2022, Carol is in her last year of studying criminology and looking to get more experience related to her degree when she starts to volunteer in the HSCPC’s front office.
“I have lived in Hastings Sunrise forever and I knew that many of my classmates volunteered at the HSCPC as well, so it was an obvious choice for me,” says Carol. She became a cherished volunteer in the street front office and attended many outreach events.
“I have fond memories of going to Hopehill, a seniors’ residence, to deliver monthly crime prevention presentations. One time a theft occurred in one of the local businesses and a knife was found shortly after, which was a scary but very memorable experience,” adds Carol.
Carol and her sisters Jenny and Mabel are self-described homebodies. When they gathered around the dinner table with their parents and little brother, Carol would tell stories about what had happened during her volunteer shift that day. Before Carol stopped volunteering with the HSCPC, she made sure to pass the torch to Jenny who at that time was trying to figure out her career path but knew that she wanted to work with people and get more life experience.
Jenny stepped right into her older sister’s footsteps by volunteering in the HSCPC’s street front office and at outreach events. She also made an impact by being a paid staff member on the Sunrise Safety Team: “The Business Safety Program builds direct rapport with local businesses in Hastings Sunrise,” says Jenny.
“One time, with the help of a VPD member, who happens to be a former HSCPC volunteer, we recovered various stolen goods and brought them back to the store. I really had a great experience at the Community Policing Centre, largely owed to the many connections I made there.”
Both sisters went on to work for the Law Society of BC. Carol is now a legal assistant to a lawyer, and Jenny works with Registration and Licensee Services. “Our volunteer experience in the HSCPC front office gave us a huge advantage when we started applying for jobs because we had learned how to communicate with the public in a friendly but assertive manner, how to write reports and how to connect community members with appropriate resources,” Carol and Jenny confirm.
The third and youngest sister, Mabel, learned about the HSCPC because Jenny would take her to the Saturday litter clean-ups. “I like to experience different things and talk to people,” says Mabel, who now also volunteers in the street front office.
“One Saturday, we were picking up litter in the pouring rain and one of us slipped down a hill in Pandora Park and was covered in mud. We had lots of laughs!”
Mabel is in her fourth year studying art at Emily Carr University and debating whether she wants to pursue art full time or a different career path. “Connecting with others is really important to me. At the HSCPC, I have met people from all walks of life. I was also surprised at how many resources the centre has and how welcoming everyone is,” adds Mabel.
The sisters are currently persuading their mother, who will be retiring soon, to come and volunteer with the HSCPC as well: “It would become a real family tradition and our whole family thinks that being connected to our community is important.
“We have lived in Hastings Sunrise all our lives and we value that it is such a tight knit neighbourhood. It is a small world out here and we would definitely recommend volunteering at the HSCPC to others as well – whether you are looking to meet friendly people or gain new skills.”
