Preserving and Promoting Oakville's Heritage
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Phone: 905 844-2695

Our Volunteers

The heart of the Society!

The Society is operated and managed entirely by unpaid volunteers. In many respects, our volunteers are the Society. All volunteers are members of our society. (This is an insurance requirement.) Without volunteers - both past, present and future - to conduct and manage its various activities; the Society simply couldn't exist. Our deepest appreciation and thanks to them all!

There are many benefits from being a volunteer.

  • Healthy body
    Volunteering keeps you physically healthier, with fewer stress-related illnesses – and helps you live longer.


  • Emotional health 
    You enjoy higher self-esteem and better mental health as a result of volunteering.


  • New friends 
    Social interaction is key to a healthy lifestyle at any age, and volunteering connects you with like-minded people. Many volunteers say that social connection is one of their top reasons to volunteer.


  • Sharp brain
    Volunteering helps you learn new skills and maintain brain acuity.


  • Time affluence
    Giving away your time actually makes you feel less busy.


  • Happiness 
    Those who volunteer are happier than those who don’t, because they’re sharing their passions and feel they’re making a difference.


Student High School Community Involvement Hours are available for: Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board.

Active volunteers are rewared in many ways. Details are further down the page.
What volunteer opportunities are there from home, a library and in our offices?
Steve Bysouth, one of our volunteers created the following video.

  • Archives cataloguing & care
  • Artifact acquisition
  • Cleaning
  • Computer operation & systems
  • Events posted onto community calendars
  • Exhibits and displays
  • Facilities care & administration
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Garden care: season long; bed preparation; leaf collection. See the gardens on our contact page.
​
  • Ghost Walks: Catering; Wandering Ghost; Ghost Walk Leader; Cashier; Host
  • Historical research
  • Internet Research (can be done at home, in a library, at our offices)
  • Interviewing for and writing life stories
  • Membership development
  • Newsletter
  • Posting to community calendars
  • Preparing exhibits & displays
  • Promotion
  • Property maintenance
  • Publicity & promotion
  • Social events, hosting, etc.
  • Social Media (eg. Instagram, LinkedIn)
  • Thomas House Interpreter
  • Walking Tour Guide
  • Website: checking; designing; programming....
  • Writing
  • Other important things
​

Picture
Volunteers receive provincial recognition. One volunteer each year may receive an Oakville Sprit Award for Heritage.

Traditionally the provincial recognition is an annual in person event. Due to COVID, two years worth of recognition are combined into this one year virtual awards.

Volunteer opportunities always abound. See a partial linked list. Many things can be done from home, in libraries and as tradition, also in our offices. We really appreciate help, in person safely and remotely​. Adults and Youth are welcome.  ​

If you'd like to join our volunteers, we'd love to hear from you. Please use the linked. Sign up and become a member volunteer!

Or if you have questions, please ask!

​Within each of the following areas and more, there are many ways in which to volunteer.

​Honourees from previous years will be posted.
2020-2021 Ontario Adult Honourees
O.H.S. Volunteer Years
Averil Jany           5
Joe Jany              5
Marie Descent      5
Mark Verlinden     5
Stanley Smurlick 10

Honourees of other awards will also be posted.


Picture
Cheers to Volunteers was a 2017 community exhibition, orchestrated by the Oakville Arts Council. We celebrated the collective effort that has built Oakville’s arts and culture community.

Join and become a volunteer we celebrate!

​You may see a higher resolution of the video.

Visit the Oakville Arts Council!

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2023 Copyright & Legal notice:
The content of the Oakville Historical Society's ("OHS") website is to be used for general information only. The Oakville Historical Society and its officers and directors, members, webmaster and any other person contributing to this website do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any material contained herein. The Oakville Historical Society specifically disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to the use of this material or any results with respect thereto. The material contained in this website shall in no way be construed to constitute a recommendation by Oakville Historical Society Inc. The material contained within this website, except as otherwise indicated*, is owned by the Oakville Historical Society and is protected by copyright, trademark and/or other proprietary rights. You are free to copy and use the images herein for non-commercial purposes provided you give clear attribution to the Oakville Historical Society or the indicated copyright holder. Further details and restrictions are available here. Commercial uses are forbidden without OHS's or the copyright holder's written consent. Please use the Email Contact Form on the right side of our contact page and select Information as the topic.
  • HOME
  • Contact
    • DONATE
    • Internships
  • ABOUT
    • Our Story
    • Our Town
    • Our Downtown
    • Our Office and Grounds
    • The Thomas House
    • Our Interns
    • Our Sponsors
    • Our Plaques >
      • Plaque Process
      • Plaque Order and Payment
    • Supporting our Cadets
  • Publications and Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Reprints >
      • Beautiful Oakville - 1897
      • Garden of Canada - c1902
      • Telephone Book 1947
      • The Sumner Diaries
    • Audio Video >
      • Videos of Life in Early Oakville
      • Oakville Heritage Moments
    • Links
  • Collections and Exhibits
    • Archives, Photos and Libraries
    • Stories
    • Village Essays
    • Website
    • Basket Factory Memorial Plaques
    • War >
      • First World War
      • First World War Poppies Exhibit
      • Ontario Farmerettes
      • Munro Letters
    • Health Care As It Was >
      • Health Care As It Was - Continued
    • Oakville Images
    • Plaqued Houses and Buildings
    • Town of Oakville Online Collections
  • Membership
    • Join, Renew or Update
    • Why Be A Member
    • Our Volunteers
  • Activities
    • Speakers' Nights
    • Guided Walking Tours
    • Self-guided Walking Tours >
      • Downtown Oakville Historical Walk
      • Erchless Estate
      • Navy Street
      • Old Oakville
      • Trafalgar Road Heritage Conservation District
      • Trafalgar-Allan Corridor
      • Lot 12
      • Historic Reynolds
    • Black History Month
    • Indigenous History Month
    • Ghost Walks >
      • Survey
      • Photo and Video Submission
      • Photos 2022 Ghost Walks
      • Photos 2010 - 2022, Reviews 2016 - 2018
      • Reviews 2022 Ghost Walks
      • Volunteer for Ghost Walks
      • Ghost Stories
      • Video Ghost Stories
    • Doors Open
    • Culture Days
    • Historic Places Days
    • Yard Sale
    • Mayor's Historical Picnic
    • Family Activities >
      • Family Day
      • Annual Family Activities
      • Colouring >
        • Jigsaw Puzzles
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • Fine Art Prints
    • Shop Order Form
    • Art of Oakville
    • Payment