Muireann Meiklejohn is a passionate community person who is originally from Penticton but has lived in 琉璃神社 for the past four years and our community is richer for this.
A professional musician with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and a music teacher at the 琉璃神社 Community Music School, Muireann is also doing their Community Support Worker training and volunteers at a variety of organizations, including the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society, SOAR Project and Solidarity Sundays. They are also a doting cat mom of three and they tend to wear their heart on their sleeve.
鈥淭here are so many people in need of support 鈥� whether it鈥檚 addictions and mental health, violence, poverty, insecure housing, or any of a host of other issues,鈥� says Muireann, who is committed to doing community support work. 鈥淪o much ties back to the untenable cost of living, and the grotesque wealth disparity that exists in the world. I want to help my corner of the world find the tools to lead the most dignified and fulfilling lives they can.鈥�
Solidarity Sundays is a mutual aid collective that gathers every Sunday to prepare and distribute food packages, drinks, safe substance use kits and clothing to deliver to unhoused neighbours in Tent City.
鈥淚 have been at Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society since November,鈥� explains Muireann. 鈥淚 got involved there because I wanted to make a difference in the community and gain some experience before starting my Community Support Worker training program this past January.鈥� I also recently joined the board of directors of The SOAR Project, an organization which provides research and advocacy for survivors of intimate partner violence and brain injury.鈥�
Volunteering fills Muireann鈥檚 heart up and they encourage others to volunteer, stating that 鈥淚f you can spare the time, do it. You鈥檒l be glad you did.鈥�
鈥淚 have so many more strong and useful skills, than I thought before I started volunteering,鈥� explains Muireann. 鈥淲omen and other marginalized genders often underestimate ourselves because the world underestimates us. However, we challenge that in ourselves, we have to try, because we are worth it.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to remember that you can have a real impact on the world every day,鈥� continues Muireann. 鈥淲ith volunteering, it can help to put your ego into the background and to bring forward the innate compassion that every person has.鈥�
If you are searching for an opportunity to fill your heart up by volunteering, check out the for your next opportunity. If, like Muireann, you enjoy reading, then Niteo Africa is looking for Reading Mentors and Project Literacy is needing Reading Tutors. Maybe social justice is your passion, much like Muireann鈥檚, then volunteering with 琉璃神社 Gospel Mission may have the right role for you. They are needing Food Prep and Food Truck Cashiers, as well as Outreach Worker volunteers. And for those that love animals, Elderdog or Spark may have the perfect role for you. Spark is SPARK is a registered charity that facilitates healing and wholeness through guided therapeutic encounters with horses. They are a growing organization that regularly needs volunteers who can work independently to help with day to day chores, yard care, maintenance and our social media.
Dorothee Birker is the communications & development manager for KCR Community Resources.
