Thanks to Our Volunteers
There are more than 12 million people volunteering in some capacity in Canada. Some of those individuals are the pharmacy technicians and assistants that volunteer with PTSA. Our organization is 100% volunteer resourced! What better time to recognize and thank our volunteers than during 2019 National Volunteer Week (April 7-13). PTSA volunteers are leading our profession by running our Society, advocating for changes, providing continuing education opportunities and inspiring the growth of Alberta pharmacy technicians. Keep reading to hear what a few of our volunteers have to say about their experiences.
Before volunteering for PTSA, Morgan Lahl, Vice President, had no idea how many opportunities there were to advocate and “how we as pharmacy technicians can really impact what our profession will look like in the future.” She says that she has “met several amazing and like-minded pharmacy technicians across the province that I may have never gotten to”, if not for volunteering with PTSA. Why does she volunteer? – “I am filled with a sense of purpose and truly believe that everything I do with PTSA is relevant and meaningful. Particularly in the last year, I have grown so much professionally than I could have ever done on my own.”
Now is the time for pharmacy technicians to really embrace the potential we have as a profession to guide our future. Kimberly McKay has been a member of the Advocacy Committee for the past several years. Kimberly says that “Being a pharmacy technician isn’t just a job for me. It’s a career. And it’s what I am passionate about! I volunteer because I want to go the extra mile – I want to contribute – I want to be part of the future of pharmacy.”
The great thing about volunteering with PTSA is that there are opportunities no matter what your interests are or how much time you have to give. Meghan Peters is currently volunteering her time planning the 2019 Alberta Pharmacy Technician Conference. Meghan reflects on a quote from Winston Churchill when she considers why she’s involved. For Meghan, “Volunteering is the opportunity to give back, try something you didn’t think you could do, challenge yourself to push the limits of comfort, meet new people, and hopefully inspire someone else to want to volunteer.”
Morgan, Kimberly and Meghan are just a few of the many individuals that give back countless hours of their time to make our Society and profession the best that it can be. As we continue to grow, the more volunteers we have, the easier it is to share the work. If you weren’t ready before, maybe now is the time for you to get more involved by volunteering with PTSA. There are a number of opportunities from planning and authoring continuing education to being involved in initiatives that promote our profession. Click here to express your interest or leave a comment below. You can always contact us directly for more information.