Ron Corbiell of Standard says his busy volunteer schedule is part of his retirement project. Truth be known, he has made a lifetime of it.
“Mainly with myself (my reward) is working with and making advantages for children,” he said.
Currently along with council, he sits on the area FCSS board, the new Standard Community Hall Committee, his church board and he is treasurer for the Project Hope Board.
Project Hope is a unique program started in the area about 17 years ago. It was started by a mother whose children were autistic. It has blossomed into a partnership with Golden Hills School Division where the division allows the challenged students into the classroom, and Project Hope provides programs including music therapy, art therapy and phys-ed.
“We have to raise about $130,000 a year to pay for that,” said Corbiell. “A lot of people would say we are treating 60-75 kids a year. I say we are treating more like 3,000 because every kid that is in the school associates with those kids, so they learn to be more caring, considerate and compassionate.”
He joined the board shortly after he retired from sitting as a school trustee, and says it works because the communities support it.
Over the year he has served the community myriad of ways, from working as a volunteer firefighter to a 34 year career of coaching and managing hockey.
“I started (coaching) the first year we were in Standard, we didn’t have children in it for a few years, and at times I was a coach on one team and assisting two others,” he said.
He does not work in a vacuum, as there are many in his community who are involved in making a difference. At 72 he has backed away from some of these organizations.
It appears these values were instilled in his family as three of his sons now coach hockey.
He says volunteerism is important to community big or small.
“Communities even the size of Strathmore depend on their volunteers very significantly,” he said, and rewards come.
“You get a lot of satisfaction out of seeing what good comes out of volunteer programs.” Some of the rewards for him are watching youngsters become adults on an ice rink, children in Project Hope getting the chance they deserve all the way up to seeing a much needed community hall come to fruition.
These rewards are available to anyone who puts the time in for their community.
