Whether it’s Mission Staff for Team BC, individuals helping with the BC Winter or BC Summer Games, or the leaders who provide strategic direction on the BC Games Society Board, volunteers are game-changers – they create exceptional experiences for athletes, coaches, and officials.
Team BC Mission Staff volunteers commit twelve or more months during the planning stage and give 3+ weeks at Games-time. Mission Staff enable athletes and coaches to focus on competition by taking care of the logistics at the Canada Winter and Canada Summer Games.
When a community is awarded a BC Winter or BC Summer Games a Board of Directors is assembled as far as 24+ month in advance of the Games. These dedicated leaders recruit and support 80+ committee members to plan all aspects of the Games.
It’s nearly a one-to-one ratio of participants-to-volunteers at the BC Winter and BC Summer Games. That can be as many as 1800 volunteers for the BC Winter Games and 3000 for the BC Summer Games! From preparing and serving meals, to driving buses, to posting news stories, to assisting with marshalling, to entering results, Games-time volunteers do it all!
The 15-member BC Games Society Board is made up of leaders from around the province. These individuals bring a variety of skills and knowledge including financial, sport, and past-Games experience. They have the responsibility for the overall direction of the society.
“Volunteers are essential to our work, whether it be at the society level, within the communities that host the BC Winter and BC Summer Games, or to the delivery of our Team BC program,” said Alison Noble, President and CEO of the BC Games Society. “Without volunteers, the province-wide impact of the Games simply would not be possible. This National Volunteer Week we celebrate the empathy, compassion, and generosity of each one of our volunteers, who help make the Games an exceptional experience.”
The numbers are staggering – over 200,000 volunteers since the inaugural BC Summer Games in 1978! The impact of the volunteers is even more amazing! They are tireless, generous, committed, caring, and vibrant donors of their time. Volunteers are integral and invaluable. Without volunteers, the BC Games do not exist and the Team BC program does not operate.
Thank you, volunteers! You are the heart of our organization!