At the recent Annual Gathering of the Volunteers of the AGO, Volunteer President Phyllis Couzin spoke of her experience here at the Gallery, and what it has meant to her to be part of this dedicated group. Her remarks will form the first piece in our new monthly Intranet series, Why I Volunteer. Originally posted October 25, 2011.
The AGO is a special place to be a volunteer. During the past year, I have met many Volunteer Presidents from other Toronto cultural institutions. We are the only one with a waiting list. Almost 200 people contact Holly Procktor in Staff & Volunteer Resources every month enquiring about becoming a volunteer. That’s pretty amazing. My overriding goal as President is to keep our status as #1. I want to create the most vibrant volunteer community possible while at the same time working to improve and enhance the AGO volunteer experience.
My story begins almost 13 years ago when I moved back to Toronto with my family after having spent three years living in Paris and then one in New York City. Returning was not easy for me and I struggled to find a place for myself. Eventually, someone – a staff member here at the Gallery – suggested I become a volunteer. And I have never looked back.
Every time I walk in here, and these days that is pretty often, I feel grateful: for the beauty which feeds my soul, the interesting and diverse volunteers I work with, the staff who are forever helpful, and, of course, the public we are here to serve. The AGO helped me to reintegrate into Toronto and provided me with a beautiful environment, something I missed after leaving Paris. It has also given me many opportunities to grow and develop, using skills I had and pushing me to acquire new ones. And for these reasons, I say, “thank you”.
The details of how and why we are here are, of course, different for each of us. But for all of us, the AGO enriches our lives.