Jasper’s snow capped mountains and its abundance of wildlife might get the most attention from visitors who come to our tiny mountain town, but hidden almost in plain sight is a community of volunteers that rarely get noticed.
This was once again on full display during Canada Day as tens of thousands of revelers descended on Jasper to enjoy the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
For those in attendance it may have been difficult to spot them, but they were in fact right in front of you.
From the volunteers who got up early to flip pancakes to the local non-profit groups who prepared floats for the parade, volunteers were everywhere, you just had to know what you were looking for.
This year volunteers played a particularly important role because the Canada Day Committee, which is a group of volunteers itself, faced a significant funding shortfall after it did not receive several government grants if applied for.
But in true Jasper fashion, those who couldn’t volunteer their time showed their support in other ways whether through financial contributions or gifts in kind allowing the festivities to go off without a hitch.
The irony of course is that volunteering on Canada Day couldn’t be a more patriotic thing to do and truth by told a more Jasper thing to do.
Just look at the stories in this week’s Fitzhugh.
Volunteer organizations like the Jasper Trail Alliance (JTA) are thriving thanks to a steady stream of volunteers.
In fact the group has become such a magnet for volunteers it was recently given the green light from Parks Canada to improve trails beyond the Three Valley Confluence.
This of course wouldn’t be possible if not for the countless volunteers, both local and abroad, who happily roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty so the rest of us can enjoy Jasper’s trails on our free time.
Volunteers also play a big role at Jasper Elementary School as was evident during the Grade 6 graduation ceremony last week.
During the ceremony vice-principal Shawn Arseneault spoke about the important role volunteers play at the school from helping with field trips to in class support.
If this wasn’t enough, the Terry Fox Foundation is betting on the community’s volunteerism to revive Terry’s legacy to raise money and awareness for cancer research.
In some communities soliciting for such a cause may fall on deaf ears, but knowing Jasper our bet is someone will take up the cause in time for a run on Sept. 17.
Whatever the outcome, it’s clear that Jasper is so much more than the unspoiled nature that surrounds us, it’s the volunteers that make this community a special place to live.