Webster’s Dictionary defines a volunteer as a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service. With our busy lives, it can be difficult to find time to volunteer. But the benefits of volunteering are enormous, not only to ourselves and our families, but to our community as a whole. Many community sports teams would not have coaches, and fundraising goals would not be met without the tireless efforts of volunteers.
This past spring, the Ontario Football Alliance (OFA) honoured the 2014 Program of Excellence Winners. Recognition is given to the Administrator of the Year, the Major and Minor Coaches of the Year, and the Volunteer of the Year. The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes the contribution to community sport programs made by a dedicated volunteer who has given countless hours of time so that coaches and athletes can enjoy the benefits of well-organized sport.
The OFA Volunteer of the Year award was presented to London’s own Jim Stevenson. After 35 years of volunteer service, no one is more deserving of this award. Jim is a Board Member as well as the Director of Alumni Affairs for the London Beefeaters. He composes an Alumni Newsletter update each week during the season, as well as a monthly one during the offseason. Jim has been both the Beefeaters and OFC statistician since 1981, and has assisted in writing the rules that are used to do game stats properly. He oversees the Beefeaters registration process, CCECS education and updates the website. Jim assists in the administration of the OFC Coaches All Star Team, making the OFC schedule and Player of the Week selection as well as updating the OFC Operational Manual every year. Each year, he also produces a booklet with teams and league stats, which is given to each team at the AGM and keeps track of all OFC records, keeping them up to date.
The London Beefeaters would like to thank Jim for his many years of tireless and dedicated service. In fact, the Beefeaters would like to thank all of our volunteers. They are definitely one of our greatest assets and one of the reasons we can celebrate 40 years of Beefeater Football!
Story and photo submitted by the London Beefeaters
