The Volunteer Resource Centre facilitates community volunteer involvement through promotion, recruiting, interviewing, screening, placing, referring, supporting and recognizing volunteers in our community. We strive to provide meaningful volunteer opportunities, promote life-long learning, and provide services and support to vulnerable residents.
Adult Volunteer Application Form
The Town of Okotoks has a volunteer registry where volunteers apply, are screened, and are then connected with a volunteer opportunities that fits their schedule and utilizes their skills. Referrals will also be made to local nonprofits and organizations to ensure that all volunteers in Okotoks have access to as many opportunities as possible.
Step 1: Complete the online application forms: Adult Volunteer Application Form or Youth Volunteer Application Form. You can also pick up an application form at the Volunteer Resource Centre, located in the Okotoks Recreation Centre.
Step 2: Once your application is received, the Volunteer Resource Centre will contact you to book an interview time that is convenient for you.
Better Impact is our Volunteer Registry. Once volunteers have registered, they can log in to their account to register for Volunteer Activities, Update their Profiles, Track their Volunteer Hours and View their Schedule.
Login to your volunteer account
Download the My Impact App on Google Play or App Store.
Many schools and community organizations are now requiring youth to volunteer. College and University applications also may require volunteer experience as a condition of acceptance. Contact us to find the right volunteer opportunity for you!
Summer 2025 - Day Camp Volunteer (age 13+). Responsibilities include:
Gain valuable work experience, make new friends and have a fantastic experience! Click the button below to apply now.
Volunteering is an ideal way to contribute and make a positive impact in the community. There are plenty of ways to get involved in Okotoks and surrounding area. Login or create in account in our Volunteer Database to find an activity or program that suits your skills and interests!
Pop-up Café Volunteer
Pop Up Cafés aims to create a welcoming environment for community members who may be experiencing isolation or loneliness. By fostering connections, the café encourages relationships between residents and builds a sense of belonging. Pop Up Café Volunteers are crucial to creating a warm, friendly, and safe atmosphere for everyone. Your main role is to engage with visitors, offer them refreshments and snacks, and promote community connections through conversations and activities.
*Pop up café volunteer orientation is required and will be scheduled once your application is accepted.
If you don't see a position that interests you, then call us and we will work to try and create a volunteer opportunity that works for you.
Consider putting your name on the list for one of the following special events or programs:
Contact the Volunteer Resource Centre for more opportunities.
2025 National Volunteer Week is April 27 to May 3, and this year's theme is Volunteers Make Waves. The theme highlights the power, impact and importance of individual and collective volunteer efforts across Canada. Like a wave, volunteering is movement building. Let's shine a light on the incredible volunteers who selflessly give their time and energy to make our community a wonderful place to call home.
Don moved to town in 1986 and met many wonderful people through his involvement in hockey, including community builder, Marg Cox. Soon afterwards, Don became a member of the Okotoks Parks & Recreation Committee and later joined the River Valley committee. Today, Don volunteers for the Okotoks Food Bank and the Town's Volunteer Driver Program. He says volunteering provides an opportunity to get out of the house and meet new people.
"I find that I gain more from volunteering than I give." - Don
Meet Debbie, a long-time volunteer whose dedication has made a significant impact across various organizations in our community. Debbie's journey in volunteering began with door-to-door canvassing, evolving into roles with the Women’s Junior Auxiliary, DeWinton Community Association, Literacy for Life, and even coaching soccer. Her current passion lies with her work at the Okotoks Food Bank, where she continues to devote her time and energy.
Debbie's motivation for volunteering stems from a lifelong desire to help others. She believes in the essential role volunteers play in enabling many organizations to offer services that would otherwise be unavailable. For Debbie, volunteering is not just about giving back; it's also about the personal fulfillment she gains. She finds great joy in interacting with fellow volunteers, organization staff, and the individuals they serve, ensuring everyone feels welcomed and comfortable.
For those considering volunteering, Debbie advises choosing an organization or cause that resonates personally, as this makes the volunteer work more meaningful. She suggests reflecting on the size of the organization you'd prefer to work with, whether it's large or small, to find the best fit for your interests and abilities.
To newcomers in the volunteering world, Debbie offers a warm welcome and a reminder of the rewarding experiences ahead: "Enjoy the experience! There is no better feeling than knowing you are helping others and seeing the gratitude in those you serve."
One of Debbie’s fondest memories of volunteering highlights the profound impact she can have. While with Okotoks Literacy for Life, she assisted a person with special needs in mastering English, helping secure necessary resources like computers and learning aids. Her guidance didn't just enhance his language skills but also supported his journey to university and a future where he could provide for his family.
Debbie exemplifies the spirit of community service, showing how individual contributions can lead to significant changes.
Lena's passion for volunteerism shines through her remarkable four decades of service, spreading across six different communities and numerous roles. Her volunteer journey began in high school on the student council and yearbook committees, marking the start of a lifelong commitment to community service. Lena's diverse volunteer experiences include serving as a deputy mayor in a small town in Alberta, participating in hospital auxiliaries, recreation and library boards, soup kitchens, food banks, and a horse therapeutic riding program for handicapped youth. For 13 years, she also dedicated herself as a board member of a parent teacher association for a public school in Saskatchewan.
What keeps Lena coming back to volunteer work is the hope that her efforts make a positive difference, coupled with the camaraderie shared among volunteers and the friendships she has forged along the way. Lena's advice for those considering volunteering is characterized by her belief in the profound impact of even the smallest contribution. She encourages new volunteers not to let time constraints deter them, emphasizing the significant impact they can make by giving just a small amount of their time.
Lena deeply resonates with Ralph Waldo Emerson's view that life's purpose is not to be happy, but lies in being useful, honorable, and compassionate - to have it make a difference means that you have lived and lived well. For her, volunteering embodies these values and contributes to a fulfilling life.
Among Lena's fondest volunteer memories is her 13-year tenure on a parent/teacher association, where she helped initiate several community-building programs, including a Welcome Back BBQ, Hot Lunch Program, and Random Acts of Kindness week that notably fostered empathy among students. Another cherished experience was volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Cambodia, where she was touched by the kindness and resilience of the local community, despite severe poverty.
Since retiring in 2019, Lena seeks to maintain her sense of purpose through volunteerism, inspired by the belief that every act of kindness has a rippling effect on the future. Her commitment to making a difference is a powerful testament to the impact one individual can have on the lives of many.
"Imagine a world where everyone committed to volunteering one hour a week, every two weeks or even per month. I think it would be a much more compassionate and kinder world." - Lena Ong-Gross
Darrel has been volunteering for over 30 years, starting as a Cub Leader at his local church in the early 90's. Since then, he has volunteered with United Way - Days of Caring projects, Foothills Academy fundraising, the Calgary and Okotoks Food Banks, and most recently with the Foothills Energy Co-op.
A volunteer memory that has stuck out for Darrel over the years was on an outing to a Calgary Flames game with his cub pack. Two of the cubs had brought an enormous snack pack of candy that they wolfed down during the game. Of course, on the way home, one of them got sick and threw up in the back seat of the cub leader's car. Not a pretty sight or smell!
When asked why he volunteers, Darrel has a strong desire to give back to his community which was fostered by his parents’ example. He references a quote from Churchill who said, "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what w give."
For those looking to volunteer, Darrel has a few words of advice. He recommends looking for a cause you are passionate about, like food security or safe housing, that is bigger than yourself. He also believes that people's time is more precious to them than their money, so give your time wisely.
"I have lived a very blessed life and believe it is a result of giving back where I can." - Darrel Perlau
Brenda has been a pillar of the Okotoks community for nearly four decades, dedicating her time and energy to various causes close to her heart. From her early days volunteering with the Okotoks Minor Hockey Association to lending a helping hand at the Okotoks Curling Club, the Fire Department, and the Catholic school, Brenda's commitment to service has always shone through.
Her journey volunteering with the Okotoks Food Bank began in February 2023. She speaks fondly of the caring staff, the camaraderie among volunteers, and the gratitude of the clients, emphasizing the increased importance of such services in today's world.
Within the food bank, Brenda wears many hats, from assisting clients and sorting donations to tending the food bank garden and even whipping up batches of nourishing soup. She encourages others to explore the multitude of volunteering opportunities available, emphasizing the importance of finding a role that resonates personally.
For Brenda, the true joy lies in the connections she forms with the clients who walk through the food bank's doors. The shared conversations and laughter are the highlights of her day.
With retirement brought on a bit earlier than expected due to the pandemic, Brenda has found a new lease on life through volunteering. It's a role that has not only given her a renewed sense of purpose, but has also introduced her to a community of like-minded individuals who have become cherished friends along the way.
Okotoks, meet Colleen, a dedicated Learning Coach at Literacy for Life in the Foothills region, who began her volunteer journey as a teenager in a farming community in Saskatchewan. She fondly recalls her early days volunteering at the local library, where she entertained young children with story times and crafts. Since Fall 2023, Colleen has been volunteering at Literacy for Life, where she provides invaluable one-on-one support to adults working towards their learning goals.
Colleen is drawn to volunteering by the excellent support system at Literacy for Life, which not only helps her succeed in her role but also mirrors her commitment to her clients' educational journeys. She believes in being a steadfast supporter for her clients, letting them know she is 'in their corner' every step of the way. Her advice to new volunteers is simple yet profound: engage in causes you truly care about and consider your availability, whether it's a single event or a regular commitment.
One of Colleen's most cherished volunteer experiences was helping a client study for their Class 7 driver's exam, which the client passed the following week—a testament to the tangible impact of her volunteer work.
Volunteering also serves a personal purpose for Colleen; having moved to the area a few years ago, she sees it as a wonderful way to connect with and contribute to her community, fostering both personal growth and broader social engagement.