50 years of volunteering for Manfred Schroeder!
By Joan Janzen
Someone once said, “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart”. Those words ring true for Manfred Schroeder from Oyen, who is just one of many volunteers who faithfully gives of his time to his community.
Manfred is 74 years old, and said he gives about three hours of each day to volunteerism. “Like I say, I don’t have anything to do until the phone rings,” he chuckled. And people do call; he had just received a request to help someone load tires. “And I take people to places they need to go with my van; I’m the town taxi so to speak.”
PHOTO: Manfred Schroeder is one of Oyen’s dedicated and long-standing volunteers.
He began volunteering 50 years ago, back in 1973. That’s when he moved to Oyen, and joined the Kinsmen Club. Manfred’s idea of having a dance-a-thon to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis resulted in $5500 being raised. “We went to the district convention in Drumheller, and they had a thermometer to measure the donations,” he said. “They were still short about $2500, so the $5500 broke the thermometer and balloons were flying. Things like that stick in your mind.”
That was the beginning of his long-standing volunteerism. Now looks after the handibus in Oyen, and was on the Town Council for 15 years. And if it that’s not enough to keep him busy, he’s been known to help other organizations, like the Chinook Applied Research Association, and give a presentation to students on the safe use of small tools and lawn equipment.
Manfred is vice-president of the Oyen & District Senior Citizens Association, and has been the treasurer of the Lions Club since 1991. “In the past the Lions did a show & shine every year, built all the ball diamonds in Oyen, and sponsor free swimming and skating every year. If it wasn’t for volunteers, this community wouldn’t have a lot,” he said.
According to Manfred, there’s a lot of really great volunteers in Oyen. And all the contributions of their time and talents are really appreciated.