Some people know from early in their lives what they have passion for. The vast majority however, discover which areas interest them through experience and exploration. For Romit Panesar, a crisis line and leadership volunteer at Distress Centre, an unexpected introduction to mental illness is what drove him to find his passion in life. Romit spent...
Image: Volunteers receiving recognition for their years of service with Distress Centre at the 2004 Volunteer Banquet. Laura (far left) has a Distress Centre teapot! Despite many predictions, the world did not end at the start of 2000, and volunteers continued to be the heart and soul of Distress Centre. A Town Hall meeting was held...
Image: Glenda Nyberg in her home in 2018. From the beginning, volunteers have been the backbone of Distress Centre’s service to the community. One of many individuals who have commented on their importance is Dr. Jackie Sieppert, Dean of Social Work at the University of Calgary and former Board Chair: “The organization would collapse without volunteers. You...
Image: Volunteers at the 1994 Christmas party. 150 volunteers were on the lines in 1990, with a new shift from 9 pm to 2 am added due to volume. The initial phone number from 1975, 266-1605, was still the place to call in a crisis. Drumheller joined with Banff and Canmore to use a 1-800 number...
Image: This image of volunteers appeared in our 20 year anniversary publication in 1990. At the 1980 AGM, Jeanette McEachern was proud to say the Centre had a solid volunteer training program, a good funding base and an active and responsible volunteer group. She also remarked that “other centres wrestle with the same problems we do:...
Self-care is any activity that we intentionally do in order to take care of our physical, mental and emotional health. Practicing self-care helps you avoid burn out, improve your mood and reduce anxiety. By taking care of yourself you’re able to be there for others when they need you. As Karen Pickles from Stresscase puts it:...
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Twice a year, Distress Centre holds an evening to show appreciation for the amazing volunteers that make it possible for us to do the work that we do. The theme of the night was storytelling. Crisis line and online services volunteers answer calls, chats and texts that come through to our contact centre, from distressed Calgarians...
Dee Bardsley, a retired schoolteacher, began volunteering on our crisis lines in 2013. She still remembers one of her first high risk calls - from a struggling young man who was having thoughts of suicide. Dee had spoken with him for a few minutes when he revealed that he had always wanted to be a teacher. “I...
This week is National Volunteer Week, a week to show appreciation for the hundreds of volunteers who we rely on to provide crisis support by phone, chat, text and email. We pride ourselves on the value of our volunteer program. Volunteers invest their time in Distress Centre, and in turn, we invest in them. 99% of...
