Volunteering takes on added meaning for many residents during the holiday season

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As the countdown to Christmas commences (less than six weeks from today), spirits in this community get even more friendly, charitable and hospitable.

People start humming under their breath as they walk along the streets, and are more liberal with their smiles to strangers.

This is a perfect time of year to get involved with a non-profit or charitable organization, and there are plenty of them that could use help, as holiday fundraisers and outreach programs pop up everywhere.

Getting involved also means that you're strengthening our community. Volunteerism is the glue that binds together the people of this community, by giving us common goals to work toward, but also by allowing us to meet more of the people who are our neighbours.

In smaller communities, it is easier to feel united, because you are more likely to know most of the people who make it up, not to mention their relatives. Yet, even as our communities grow, we are able to retain some of that feeling through volunteer work.

Take as your example Ann and Dennyson Tate, who devoted thousands of hours of their time to developing Cape Enrage into one of the province's top tourist attractions.

The Tates just received the Intercontinental Hotels Group Employee of the Year Award for their service, but the good they've done has been recognized locally for years.

Or the group of women in Parkton who have been working hard over the last three years to develop programs to help enrich the lives of the families living in their neighbourhood.

Working with the United Way, they've been able to give a positive atmosphere to a neighbourhood that really needs it.

More than just delivering great activities for residents and visitors to our part of the province, these volunteers, and hundreds of others like them are the backbone of our society.

As the year slips away, consider joining their ranks. Doing so will make us all stand a little straighter.