As soon as you sit down to speak with Cheryl Marshall, you will see that her passion for volunteerism radiates. Her love of volunteers makes her the perfect fit as the Executive Director of the Volunteer Bureau of Leeds and Grenville.

Before joining the Bureau, Cheryl Marshall had worked with volunteers at various not-for-profit agencies. None of these organizations had formalized volunteer programs and she believed this was an important issue as volunteers are the backbone of the community and need proper management. Cheryl decided to go back to school and take Advanced Volunteer Management so she could help not-for-profit agencies effectively manage their volunteer programs.

Every day Cheryl gets to meet with heroes throughout Leeds and Grenville. These are volunteers who are making a profound difference all through the community. She hears incredible stories of volunteerism that touch her heart and make her incredibly happy to be working in the volunteer sector. One of her favourite stories is from a recent volunteer presentation, at a long-term care facility during Volunteer Appreciation Week. After her talk, a lady in her mid-nineties took Cheryl by the hand and guided her back to her room. She showed her all the blankets that she had knitted to be donated. She said, “Being a volunteer is just being a part of my community.” To Cheryl, this lady embodied the spirit of volunteerism and she still gets a little teary-eyed when she thinks of this special lady.

The organization has so much potential. There has been so much growth just in the four years that Cheryl has been the Executive Director. In 2003, there were under 100 volunteers registered and that number has grown to over 1000. The number of organizations with memberships has also increased dramatically, from just over 100 to over 250. Cheryl has a vision that every citizen in Leeds and Grenville is aware of the benefits of volunteering and takes action. There is no telling what will happen when a community comes together and builds capacity through volunteerism.

The growth of the Bureau has been made possible through United Way funding. “If it was not for United Way, we would not be here. We are thankful for the funding and for the recognition because United Way has stepped up to the plate to show that the Volunteer Bureau is important,” says Cheryl. And United Way can hit a home run. We just need you to play ball. Support United Way today.