As National Volunteer Week draws to a close comes the great news of a young woman in our community who is being honoured for her volunteer efforts.

Andrea Tipping was presented the 2008 June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Volunteerism, one of just 15 in the province to be bestowed in this, the award’s inaugural year.

Andrea has volunteered at Simcoe Manor for many years as well as taking an active role with the Canadian Cancer Society and involvement with her church in Beeton.

Andrea very likely picked up her volunteer habits from her parents, Janet and Lowell Tipping, who have been volunteering their time and efforts throughout the community in many ways for many years. Volunteering isn’t hereditary, but it is contagious.

There are some obvious traits of volunteers though. According to studies, newer married couples volunteer the most (48 per cent of them), with widowed individuals contributing the least (28 per cent).

Women still volunteer more often than men, although both contribute an average 168 hours each annually.

Strangely the higher the income, the more likely a person will volunteer (60 per cent of people making over $100,000). Interestingly, someone at the other end of the financial scale contributes the second most hours (37 per cent of volunteers making less than $20,000 contribute 177 hours annually.)

More than seven per cent stated they volunteered because they were required (school) or pressured (work) to do so.

Whatever the reason, small town’s like ours virtually couldn’t survive without the help of volunteers. Look in the pages of your paper each week and you’ll see dozens of your friends and neighbours who give their time. They’re a popular target for our photographers.

The question is, where do you fit in the picture?

CW