Volunteers Build Community
- Apr 17
- 4 min read
Volunteers support our programs and many of our events by showing up with a willingness to be part of something larger than themselves. Boyle Street would not be Boyle Street without its entire community: those we serve, staff, supporters, and our volunteers.
This year, we’re highlighting three of these volunteers: Annie Mueller, Georgie Pesaruk, and Bev Mangano.
Annie Mueller
“It’s meaningful to work side by side with others. Your impact is greater.”
A long-time member of the Rotary Club of Edmonton West, Annie has spent years building a better community through volunteering. From food banks to shelters to international medical clinics, her work spans continents. She believes in showing up consistently and with purpose.
At Boyle Street, Annie and the Rotary Club of Edmonton West help organize and serve our annual Thanksgiving meal. They take on a huge amount of work to serve our community. They make sure each Thanksgiving meal is not only delicious, but also hospitable - everyone who attends is welcomed and served directly at their table.
For Annie, volunteering is about connection, about acts of care and dignity. It’s a way to build relationships and strengthen the places we share. And volunteering in a group like the Rotary Club of Edmonton West is important to Annie.
“Everyone in the club has something they’re passionate about, and we just go and support those things together.”
Georgie Pesaruk
“Life is bigger than what goes on in your own home.”
For Georgie, volunteering is a continuation of her lifelong commitment to care.
She volunteers at Boyle Street’s Pet Food Bank, which provides essential pet supplies for free. You can find out more and donate pet supplies by emailing our Community Wellness Connection Program: cwcp@boylestreet.org.
“We’re living in a world where people are making choices like ‘heat or eat’” said Georgie. “And many will choose to feed their animals before themselves. If you’ve ever loved an animal, you understand that.”
Beyond this material support, Georgie says the Pet Food Bank is a place of connection. “We build relationships. We know people, and they know us. It doesn’t take long before you know someone and their pet’s needs, and you remember their names. That relationship matters. People feel recognized. They’re individuals. They’re welcome here.”
Georgie approaches volunteering as a natural extension of her life. “My husband and I have always believed in giving back,” she says. “Community has always been important to us … for me, after 33 years as a social worker, you don’t just switch that off.”
We are all connected to something larger than ourselves. Whether it’s supporting someone and their pet, building relationships, or simply showing up, volunteering is part of building a community where everyone feels seen, valued, and welcome.
Bev Mangano
“I’m here to talk to people and let them know that I care.”
Bev started volunteering at the CHEW Project out of a desire to stay connected - both to her community and to something meaningful. After they put out a call on social media for volunteers, Bev got involved.
The CHEW Project provides a safe and supportive environment for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and emerging adults under 30 facing barriers such as mental health challenges, poverty, houselessness, substance use, oppression, and more.
CHEW’s holistic approach also incorporates Indigenous peer support, crisis intervention, and community outreach. It’s a critical resource for marginalized youth in Edmonton.
Bev spends much of her time in conversation, helping with meals, and doing whatever is needed. Like each of our volunteers, Bev feels fulfillment from contributing - from knowing that, in some way, you’ve made a difference in someone’s day.
Her experience at CHEW has also reinforced one of her core beliefs: the importance of meeting people where they are.
“I think that the community members who come here need to know they’re supported and that they belong.
If they have needs, they know they have somewhere to go.”
Bev believes in volunteering for something you’re passionate about: “Volunteering requires commitment. And if you have a passion, you’re more likely to make that commitment.” And her passion is recognized - through conversations with family and friends, she’s shared what she’s learned. She raises awareness and encourages others to get involved.
In that way, volunteering becomes something larger. It grows outward, building connections and expanding the community of care.
What Volunteers Give and Get
Annie, Georgie, and Bev all shared a similar reflection: they feel like they get more out of volunteering than they give – and that’s because healthy communities sow the seeds of self-worth.
Communities are something we nurture. They’re collective. They’re built and shaped everyday by each of us. We each add a little bit of ourselves, but we each benefit from all the diverse little bits that others share. It’s not meant to be an equal exchange - no one can do life alone.
Volunteering is one way we can participate in that exchange. It’s very intentional and impactful. But it’s not an act separate from the broader ways we support each other and build community - it’s part of the same soil.
At Boyle Street, volunteers give bits of their time - bits of themselves - to help create spaces where people feel welcome, where people feel full, where relationships can grow. In doing so, they also are welcomed, they also feel full, and they also grow.
That’s why it feels like getting more than you give - because you are. That’s community.
Thank You
To Annie, Georgie, Bev, and every volunteer who has given time to Boyle Street: thank you.
Your presence strengthens our community. It stays with people long after they leave our spaces.
To learn more about how you can get involved, visit boylestreet.org/volunteer.
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