Despite volunteering for numerous causes – both on and off campus – Claire Alexander remains humble about receiving a County of Wellington Volunteer Appreciation Award from the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington.

“There are a lot of people doing amazing things in our community, and I am very humbled to have been recognized in this way,” says Alexander, special projects manager in the Office of the President. “I feel very lucky to work in an environment where volunteer work is not only valued but also encouraged. In fact, I have some of the best role models here in my office.”

As a member of the Life Donation Awareness Association, Alexander says she was honoured to receive the Volunteer Appreciation Award during National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week. The Be a Donor campaign encourages people to register online as organ and tissue donors. She also helped run U of G’s Bracelet of Hope campaign to raise money for people with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

“I try to focus my energy on causes that I feel strongly about, and therefore I get a lot of personal satisfaction from them,” she says. “I have learned a lot from the people that I have met along the way, and that inspires me to continue to give back.”

The Volunteer Appreciation Award recognizes people who have contributed significant amounts of time and effort to local non-profit and charitable organizations. The awards were presented at the County of Wellington Council Chambers on April 26.