Ron Foerster, Chair of the ALS Canada Board of Directors
As a charitable organization, ALS Canada is fortunate to have a legion of volunteers who dedicate their time and talents to our shared cause. Each one of these volunteers has a unique story and experience that brought them to the organization, but they all share one thing in common: the desire to contribute to a future without ALS.
While volunteering is not typically something people seek recognition for doing, National Volunteer Week provides an opportunity to acknowledge each and every one of the volunteers who make the work of ALS Canada possible – whether contributing on the Board or an Advisory Council, planning and executing the WALK for ALS, speaking out as ALS Canada ambassadors, helping a fundraising event to run smoothly or creating new fundraising initiatives that mobilize the community.
Since joining the Board of Directors of ALS Canada, where he is a volunteer himself, Chair Ron Foerster has been part of many events where volunteers play a key role — such as the Bombardier Plane Pull and the WALK for ALS. Having had the opportunity to observe many of our volunteers in action, Ron Foerster, Chair of the Board of Directors, has noticed they all have one thing in common:
“In light of the many challenges that face those affected by ALS, I am both grateful and impressed by a characteristic shared by all ALS Canada’s volunteers that I have witnessed – they never give up; it’s not how they operate,” he says. “And that tenacity engenders a real sense of hope – and hope is a critical tool in fighting this terrible disease. So I want to thank all the volunteers who have dedicated their time, talents and skills to the organization. Thank you for all that you do.”
Ron’s own volunteer contribution to ALS Canada was sparked by his personal experience with ALS: he became involved with the organization following his mother’s ALS diagnosis.
“When my mother was living with the disease, ALS Canada was the lifeline that kept us afloat,” he says. “I always felt a responsibility to give back. Volunteering on the Board of Directors is my way of doing that. I feel that good governance is the cornerstone of a successful charitable organization so I volunteer my time to ensuring its success.”
Ron stands behind the volunteer leaders that sustain the organization and believes they bring a sense of hope for a future without ALS.
“Like many others, when I was first introduced to ALS, the main feeling I remember having was one of hopelessness,” he says. “Today, the most rewarding thing about my role on the Board is seeing the skills, dedication and tenacity of all people involved in the organization: the clients, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, ALS Canada staff and all volunteers, from the Board of Directors to the WALK committees – all working together to defeat that sense of hopelessness.”
No matter the capacity, each and every one of ALS Canada’s volunteers is vital to the organization. As we move toward a future without ALS, volunteer roles may change, but their importance will never fade.
April 15-21 is National Volunteer Week. Each day this week, we are sharing the story of a different ALS Canada volunteer who dedicates their time and talents to creating a future without ALS. Learn more about how you can get involved.