Volunteer Opportunities
| Bowen Island Arts Council | The Bowen Island Arts Council has a variety of volunteer positions including the Visual Arts Committee of the Hearth and Gallery Host Volunteers. Members of our Visual Arts Committee (VAC) assess the annual calendar of art exhibits, assist with the physical work of mounting shows, offer ideas and expertise as needed, and organize fundraising events. If you are interested in joining the committee, contact Debbie Benson at volunteer@thehearth.ca The role of Gallery Host at the Gallery @ the Cove Commons includes greeting visitors and helping to promote exhibits, administering art sales, attending special events and celebrations. To volunteer, download a Gallery Host Volunteer application from their website and return the form to Debbie Benson, Volunteer Coordinator. |
| Coastal Animal Welfare and Education Society | CAWES (Coast Animal Welfare & Education Society) is a group of volunteers with a mission to care for abandoned domestic animals and to assist injured or distressed domestic and wild animals on Bowen Island. This includes the goal to promote, inform, and educate the community about healthy human guardianship and stewardship of all animals. For more information contact info@cawes.org or 604-947-2555. |
| Caring Circle’s Volunteer Drivers’ Programs | This program is designed to provide transportation to Bowen Islanders of any age who need to get to health related appointments and have no other means available to them. Rides may be available for on-island as well as mainland appointments. Emails are sent to volunteer drivers with ride requests from island residents. Call Caring Circle at 604-947-9100 or email info@caringcircle.ca for more information. |
| Bowen Island Community Lunch | Community lunches are provided on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at the Bowen Island Legion from 11.30 – 1.00. You can get a delicious lunch made up of soup, bread, coffee and dessert for $10. The community lunch started as a collaboration between Caring Circle and SKY (Seniors Keeping Young) with the intention of facilitating social engagement among Bowen seniors. Caring Circle, Sky, Bowen Island Legion, Snug Cove House, and Bowen Island United Church take turns hosting the lunches and providing volunteers. The program is also supported by the Municipality and the Knick Knack Nook. |
| Christmas Hamper Fund | The Bowen Island Christmas Hamper Fund is an annual drive started more than 40 years ago. The program provides Christmas hampers to Bowen Island residents during the holidays. Hampers include a frozen turkey, fruit, canned vegetables, gift cards for groceries, donated gifts, toys, pet food, and more. Linda Pfeiff and Pernille Nielsen are two of the organizers of the charity; contact 604-947-2210 or look for posted information in autumn. |
| Community School Association | The purpose of the Association is to strengthen the relationship between Bowen Island Community School (BICS) and the Bowen Island community. The association works to provide educational programs to the students and lifelong learning opportunities to the community. Volunteers can get involved through meetings and events, like the Christmas Craft Fair and BIRD Refundable Containers. Any resident of Bowen Island can join the CSA. Projects and sponsored events include the BICS Playground Installation, Green Man Festival, West Coast Symphony, Bowen Grows Community Feast and Young Farmers Program, BICS Coffee Fund & Staff Appreciation, and more. |
| Tir-na-nOg Theatre School | The Tir-na-nOg Theatre School Society is a registered non-profit charitable organization on Bowen Island dedicated to providing opportunities for young people to explore and develop their potential as creative beings through the discipline and the adventure of Theatre Arts. |
| Bowen Island Conservancy | The Bowen Island Conservancy works to protect and preserve the Island’s natural wonders from coastal bluffs to inland lakes. Annual family membership is $15, and the annual individual membership is $10. For more information, contact Owen Plowman at 604-612-6572. |
| Emergency Support Services | Emergency Support Services (ESS) is a community-based provincial response program that provides short term services for individuals and families affected by disasters. Services include food, clothing, lodging, family reunification and other specialized services, usually provided at an ESS Reception Center. Volunteers assist with resource acquisition, which involves acquiring and updating information on resources and services in our community. Contact Carolyn McDonald, ESS Director at boweness@bimbc.ca or Tess Taylor, Emergency Program Coordinator at ttaylor@bimbc.ca |
| Bowen Island FoodResilience | Bowen Island FoodResilience Society (BIFS) envisions a thriving, place-based food ecosystem on Bowen Island. They support initiatives and methods that restore biodiversity and human-scale regenerative, local food production. The mission of Bowen Island FoodResilience Society (BIFS) is to build the skills, knowledge, networks and structures needed to create a healthy, resilient, community-based food system on the island. |
| Fish & Wildlife Club | The Bowen Island Fish & Wildlife Club is a not-for-profit society incorporated in 1967. Without volunteering it would be impossible to carry out the many wild salmon enhancement, stream keeping and stream rehabilitation programs on Bowen Island. The Club has primarily focused on enhancing the wild salmon stock but has since branched out into Streamkeeping, Stream rehabilitation, Education and lately the protection of Rock fish in and around Bowen. If you’re interested in being a salmon enhancement volunteer on Bowen Island, please contact Tim Pardee at 604-512-5245-or Don McQueen at 604-947-9330. |
| Friends of the Bowen Island Library Society | The Friends (FOBILS) are a group of dedicated Bowen residents who care deeply about Bowen Island Public Library. They have dozens of members who work to fundraise through book sales and other community events on behalf of the Library. Their fundraising supports small and large projects at Bowen Library, such as author visits and Summer Reading Club. The Friends can be contacted directly for questions about joining their group or about book sale donations. For information contact Annamarie Atherton at auntiema@shaw.ca or gretasmith@shaw.ca. |
| Bowen Heritage Preservation | Volunteer Board Members are needed to keep the charity status in good standing, all accounts up to date and in order, lots of support for popular events, history of successful grant writing and summer student experiences. Apply today to bowenheritage@gmail.com Volunteers are also needed for the annual AppleFest to pick apples, and then peel and slice fruit for the bake-a-thon. |
| Bowen Island Museum & Archives | The Museum and Archives is a living organization made up of volunteers. Volunteer duties include archive care, museum research, museum host, gardening, and many other projects. Fundraising help is also essential to maintain the whole organization. Email your completed volunteer form, available on the website, to bihistorians@telus.net |
| Bowen Nature Club | The Bowen Nature Club focuses on learning, discovery and enjoyment of the island’s natural history. The club is a group made up of Bowen Island individuals and families getting outside to share their love of the natural world. Most outings are free of charge, however participants must be paid-up members or they must purchase an annual or day membership before the outing starts. Membership with Bowen Nature Club: $22.00/year (individual) or $27.00/year (family). For more information, email bowennatureclub@gmail.com |
| Knick-Knack-Nook | Knick-Knack-Nook is Bowen Island’s reuse-it store. Volunteers help with sorting, selling, and planning, the many deliveries to Vancouver, and community events. The Nook is one of the biggest local sources of funding for community organizations, charities and students. |
| Bowen Island Trail Society | Volunteer organization that is dedicated to building and maintaining Bowen’s crown trail network for non-motorized users. Activities include trail stewardship, maintenance, and building, fundraising, events, monthly hikes and trail runs. Get a membership to become a member of BITS. Annual membership is $20 for the first member in a family, and then $8 for each additional person. |
| Volunteer Grandparents | A non-profit organization in Metro Vancouver that connects volunteer seniors with low income or underprivileged children in the community. The aim of Volunteer Grandparents is to foster intergenerational relationships and build community. |
| Bowen Island Seniors Keeping Young Society | A Registered Charity/organization that provides programs to support the physical and mental wellbeing of Bowen Island residents 55+. SKY seeks volunteers for our Speakers Series, a program where special interest topics are presented by local subject matter experts. Topics may include but are not limited to hobbies, crafts, travel, and health. SKY also seeks volunteers of any age with technology skills in web design and graphic design. If you are interested in offering your skills to SKY in these areas, or if you have an idea to help SKY in some other way, please email info@skyonbowenisland.ca. |