Many families enjoy volunteering at the Salvation Army, including the Boermas who live off the grid near Williams Lake.
When members of the family smiled for the camera during a volunteer appreciation luncheon at the Salvation Army last Saturday, one of them called out, “just call us the Boerma clan.”
Salvation Army Captain Isobel Lippers praised the family saying they bring everyone out out to volunteer, even the children.
“They are here volunteering quite often,” Lippers said Thursday.
The Boermas come and help cook in the kitchen preparing meals for the soup kitchen.
They help stock shelves in the food bank or run the share room where there is fresh produce and bread for people in need.
“Their kids will even wash tables,” Lippers said. “They clean up wherever we need help.”
People like the Boermas helped contribute a total of 9,000 volunteer hours at the Salvation Army in 2015.
Lippers said the army values its volunteers.
“There’s no way on earth we could do what we do without them. We love them they are awesome,” she said.
As with most organizations, the Salvation Army could always use more volunteers to help in many areas, including helping at the coffee counter in the drop-in centre, preparing meals for the soup kitchen and stocking the food bank’s shelves.