Well this is my first year end with a Substack account so the pressure is on. What does one write to sum up the year that we have had and still remain positive? Honestly, 2025 has not been kind to humanity as a whole . We have seen almost non stop media coverage of wars worldwide and their attendant pain and suffering. Flu and other viruses are surging overcrowding our hospitals . The gap between rich and poor is getting ever bigger . I could go on but I think you get the idea .

So where do I see humanity and more importantly hope ? In short I see it in volunteering . I see it in working with not for profits in our community. The idea for this column comes in part from a conversation with Jessie-Lee Wallace from Volunteer Ottawa. A number of months ago I had kind of a crazy idea about a “speed dating” event for not for profit boards and would be board members. Jessie and her team made it happen. More importantly and gratefully she gave me an opportunity to provide opening remarks as to why I volunteer on boards.

When I think back a few years I remember it was two of my former Council colleagues, Mark Taylor and Michael Qaqish who introduced me to my first two Board memberships. Since then I have sat or am sitting on the boards of YSB, BBBSO, NROCRC and Voicefound .

For the most part my aim is to work with organizations that try and make things better for youth in our community. In one exceptional case I serve to give back to an organization that supported me when I needed it most, thank you Voicefound. I volunteer my time and what expertise I can because while I understand that rarely can one person change the world for the better, a group working towards an common good can often incrementally make that difference and plant the seed of positive change .

So as we enter into 2026 maybe give some thought as to what organization speaks to you and how you may be able give back to it and your community. Corny as it sounds I truly believe that working together we are better.