EVENTS & NEWS

APR 15, 2011 - National Volunteer Week Celebration and Volunteer Recognition

Recognized at this year's celebration were Ed Crawford and Karen Durocher, each with one year of volunteer service. Mayor Staples was on hand to thank the volunteers.

AUG 22, 2010 - Bus Tour to Jones Falls

Do you want to learn about how our history influences our environmental health?

Then come out to our "History meets Culture" outing to Jones Falls.

On Sunday August 22, 2010, we'll be offering a bus ride from Smiths Falls to Jones Falls to all people interested in volunteering with either the Rideau Canal Museum or the Rideau Environmental Action League. Its also open to people who have volunteered with either organization in the past too.

On the tour we'll have a demonstration from a Parks Canada blacksmith, learn about how the canal was built, experience the "Whispering Dam" and other exciting features.

Pre-registration is a must. Lunch provided. For more information or to register, contact Lynn Preston, Volunteer Co-ordinator at lynn@realdealstore.ca or 613 283-9500 by Aug. 19.

SEP 8, 2010 - Learn your History

Want to learn all about the history of the Rideau Canal? Would you like to volunteer and give tours of the museum and do other jobs to support local heritage?

The Rideau Canal Museum is having a volunteer recruitment and training day on Wed Sept. 8 from 2-4 p.m. You'll learn about the planning and construction of the Rideau Canal, hear about the "stories" that aren't usually told and you'll get an idea of the different types of volunteer jobs waiting for you to make your contribution.

For more information, contact Lynn PrestonVolunteer Co-ordinator at lynn@realdealstore.ca or 613 283-9500.

JUN 4, 2010 - Protecting the Rideau's Cultural History and Environmental Future

That's the theme for the Rideau Volunteers Program and our upcoming, unique, volunteer recruitment day.

To be held on Sunday June 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the outing will allow participants to explore the Rideau Canal Museum (RCM) and the Rideau River and its local features. Starting at the RCM, this free day will include a tour

During this event, funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, you will have the rare opportunity to hear two of the top wildlife biologists in the area interpret the sights and sounds of the Rideau River and

We'll hear about life before Colonel By's huge undertaking – the shape and lay of the land, land use, what people engaged in, and how people made a living. Our local experts will tell us about the planning and construction of the canal, the use of manpower to build it, the loss of life, the environmental changes that occurred as a result of the construction and the impacts of those changes on the river and local environment today. We'll climb into the Voyageur Canoes, guided by professional interpreters in authentic voyageur dress, sing some voyageur songs, travel through the Smiths Falls Detached locks, float under the National Historic Site the Bascule bridge (the what?), and paddle up

In the nooks and crannies of the Swale we'll learn about the diverse wildlife - aquatic plants, insects, birds, turtles, and endangered species - that lurk about and the ones that no longer reside here too. We'll hear about plans for an environment centre along the banks of the Rideau and ongoing environmental projects and programs. But most importantly, we'll point out the connection between our cultural history (how humans have lived and impacted the

How can you get involved in this fun-filled, educational day? By donating your time to volunteer at either the Rideau Canal Museum (RCM) or the Rideau Environmental Action League (REAL)! By pledging to volunteer for either (or both)organizations, you can participate in this enlightening day. By volunteering, you can keep the cultural history of the area alive by promoting the RCM and its message and promoting the protection and sustainability of our environmental future. Both organizations have an assortment of volunteer jobs ranging from a few hours to a longer term commitment.

Space is very limited so pre-registration is a must. First come first served, so register early and register by Thursday June 17.

For more information, contact Lynn PrestonVolunteer Co-ordinator at lynn@realdealstore.ca or 613 283-9500.

This event sponsored by: the Rideau Canal Museum and the Rideau Environmental Action League. Funding provided by

May 21, 2010 - Welcome to the Rideau Volunteers

Have you ever wondered who really built the Rideau Canal? Who the 162 Miners and Sappers were and what they did? Did you know that Col. John By almost died in the construction of the canal? How can you learn more about these facts and related items?

Answer: By becoming a volunteer with the Rideau Volunteers. New volunteers with the Rideau Canal Museum learned these and other facts this week at the first-ever volunteerrecruitment and training day.

Welcome to the first monthly column of the Rideau Volunteers. In the upcoming months, readers of this column will learn about the opportunities and benefits of volunteering - the fun you can have donating your time and skills, the pleasure of meeting new people and telling them about our Rideau Canal or the sense of accomplishment you can feel by protecting our environment.

Readers will learn about upcoming events that help educate our local residents about the history of the Rideau Canal and the natural world around us. Events like a voyageur canoe ride to discover the locks and wetlands in and around Smiths Falls, a bus trip to Chaffey's Locks and Jones Falls to discover whispering bridges and natural features of the area and more. Readers will learn about the benefits of volunteering - the good it bring.

The Rideau Volunteers is a partnership between the Rideau Canal Museum (RCM) and the Rideau Environmental Action League (REAL). Made possible through a Trillium Foundation grant, the Rideau Volunteer's mission is to bolster the number of volunteers supporting these two well respected, long-standing organizations. The partnership is designed to draw attention to the link between the local natural environment and cultural heritage with its tag line of: Protecting our cultural heritage and environment future. .

If you're interested in learning more about the Rideau Volunteers, contact Lynn Preston Volunteer Co-ordinator at lynn@realdealstore.ca or 613 283-9500.

Funding provided by: