Conducting night patrols, speed and cell watch operations, spearheading boat compliance checks, locking out auto crime and keeping a watch over neighbourhoods. These are just a few of the initiatives being undertaken thanks to volunteers in the community.
It’s National Volunteer Week and the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP want to thank the many Community Safety volunteers who selflessly give their own time to make our community a better place.
In 2021, community members dedicated over 10,000 hours of their personal time to various community safety and crime prevention initiatives in the city.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank and recognize this dedicated group of individuals for supporting our community and our policing operations,” said Supt. Shawna Baher, Officer in Charge of the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP. “Your efforts do not go unnoticed and your willingness and genuine desire to help others contributes directly to the health and safety of residents and makes our community a better, safer place to live.”
RCMP volunteers perform the earlier-mentioned initiatives such as Neighbourhood Watch, but they also assist at large community events, such as Funtastic and Vernon Winter Carnival, throughout the year. In 2021, they provided valuable support to the RCMP in response to the White Rock Lake and other wildfires that threatened our community.
The Community Safety Office is the public safety education arm of the Community Safety Unit. The office provides educational outreach such as Bike Safety Education, Garage 529 registration and information on core community crime prevention initiatives, front-line community programs, and a variety of personal, home and community safety resources. Volunteers worked with over 2,000 community members that came into the office in 2021.
National Volunteer Week is April 24-30, a time when Canadians from coast to coast to coast celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of countless volunteers and the invaluable contributions they make in service to the community.
“Through their everyday efforts and genuine kindness, volunteers help build and strengthen our community,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “It is impossible to imagine Vernon and the North Okanagan without our volunteer community or its service. The selfless actions of each volunteer helps to bring us together in so many ways. Volunteers are at the heart of our community. So, on behalf of the city, I say thank you to each and every one of you.”
More than 250 volunteers help the city on a regular basis, in a variety of capacities.
For more information, or to find out how you can volunteer visit the Vernon Community Safety website here.
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