Volunteers recognized for their efforts

By Trevor Robb

St. Francis Xavier High School took a little time on Wednesday to show appreciation for their volunteers’ commitment to the school by hosting an appreciation BBQ in their honour.

Steak, baked potatos, caesar salad, beans, veggies, wine, chocolate tuxedo cake and Limoncello cake were all on the menu at the high school as St. FX principal Vivian Allen and assistant principal Ron Zacharko spearheaded the invite-only  event.

Allen spoke with the West Edmonton Local before hand and said that the efforts made by volunteers can sometimes go unnoticed, but never unappreciated. Allen added that the largest body of volunteers at St. FX help out with the schools massive athletic programs as coaches.

“Parent volunteers are more visible in the elementary and junior high as opposed to the high school,” said Allen. “Most of the people here are the people who help out with our coaches, mostly football and rugby.”

St. FX is home to the brand new St. Francis Xavier Sports Centre and the school boasts an extensive list of athletic programs including football, rugby, basketball, soccer, golf, rowing, swimming, volleyball and track and field.

Kesi Amerongen, works in media resources at Archbishop Oscar Romero High School by day and in her spare time she volunteers as the current chair of the parent advisory council at St. FX. Amerongen spearheads five scheduled meetings a year and offers parents and students a window into the everyday happenings of the high school.

“I found in high school you don’t get as much information as you do in elementary, ie. paper work, and telling students everything that’s going on,” said Amerongen. “It’s a way of keeping in touch with what’s going on in the high school setting.”

Amerongen is a mother of three daughters and has been volunteering her time since her daughters began elementary school. Now, 19 years later, Amerongen’s youngest daughter is set to turn 18 and graduate from high school, making this Amerongen’s last year of volunteering with the school.

Amerongen admits that while, as a volunteer, you may not get the final say in what happens, you are still very much part of the process and are given an equal voice as the other volunteers, teachers and/or parents.

“I believe that it doesn’t matter what you do or in what capacity you volunteer, you do have a voice,” said Amerongen.