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VON volunteer Evangelyne Nacnac says she has found the perfect role in the organization.

Evangelyne moved to Canada from the Philippines in the summer of 2024. She had a history of volunteering and was eager to continue helping others. Evangelyne’s aunt was a VON volunteer and suggested it would be a good fit for her niece.

Volunteer Coordinator Janet Somers reached out to Evangelyne to arrange an interview and orientation. “She's friendly and helpful,” Evangelyne says. “And during our chat, I mentioned that I was looking for office work, helping with organizing things, paperwork, data entry, that kind of stuff.”

Evangelyne is now a volunteer fund development assistant in Oxford, putting her skills and enthusiasm to work to help the team raise funds for Sakura House Hospice and VON.

“Janet found the perfect role for me,” says Evangelyne. “It's been such a good experience, and I've met many different people. They're all so nice and helpful.”

Evangelyne was instrumental in making the lanterns for Sakura House’s 5th annual Lights of Love event, which took place in November and saw over 150 members of the community share in a night of remembrance of loved ones.

“I really enjoyed the challenge of building lanterns from simple materials,” she says. “We started with a basic prototype, and worked on the lanterns bit by bit over the weeks. We were testing it and improving the look and the design along the way.”

Brittany Bratt, Manager of Fund Development for VON Oxford, says 231 lanterns honouring loved ones were displayed during the event and Evangelyne had a hand in creating all of them.

Evangelyne says it was a real team effort, with Brittany, Fund Development Coordinator Chelsea Stephens and volunteer Colyne coming together to create beautiful lanterns for the event.

“We all had different ideas and skills, but together we got it done,” says Evangelyne. “And what I love most about the Lights of Love event is that it's not just about the lanterns or the lights, but the stories and connections behind them.”

Lights of Love is a meaningful way for people to honour their loved ones, particularly during the holiday period. The event resonates with Evangelyne, who volunteers both for personal growth and to pay tribute to her mother, who passed away four years ago.

“Our mom was always so selfless when she devoted her time and energy to serving our community back home, and that's her legacy that she left, and I feel this is a way to keep her spirit alive,” Evangelyne says.

While volunteering allows Evangelyne to give back, she believes it also helps her to grow and develop connections with wonderful people. “I'm on a bit of a spiritual journey right now, and I see sharing my time and skills as a way of practicing stewardship,” says Evangelyne. “For me, stewardship is simply about taking care of the people around me and giving back in a meaningful way.”

Evangelyne believes it’s important for community members to help VON with whatever resources they are able to share, whether it be time as a volunteer or providing monetary gifts to Sakura House and other VON programming.

“That expression of sharing what we have is the true testament of what humanity is all about,” she says.  “I hope that people won’t get tired of giving back to the community, specifically to Sakura House and to VON. I hope they always have that fire and passion in their heart to give back, not even seeing what they'll get out of that in return.”

Find the perfect volunteer role for you!

The New Year is a great time to consider a volunteer role with VON. We have positions to suit all interests and abilities. Visit von.ca/volunteer to find out more and apply!