Waves of Change: Honouring the Volunteers Who Make a Difference

by Eugene Gutierrez

Some waves crash against the shore with force, reshaping everything in their path. Others move gently, washing over the sand again and again, leaving their mark in quieter ways. Whether big or small, every wave creates change, just like our volunteers.

During National Volunteer Week, we recognize the incredible people who give their time, energy, and compassion to make a difference. This year’s theme, Volunteers Make Waves, is a perfect reflection of what happens at Threads of Life. Every act of kindness, every shared story, and every small effort to support someone else sends ripples of hope and healing to families affected by workplace tragedy.

I know how one action can change everything because it happened to me. Before I formally became part of the team at Threads of Life, I was a volunteer. Before that, I was a son, trying to find my way after losing my father, Bot, to a workplace fatality. His death shattered my world, and I felt completely lost in my grief. Threads of Life became a lifeline. It offered support, understanding, and eventually, a way to honour his memory.

In time, it also gave me the chance to give back. I joined my local Steps for Life planning committee to help spread awareness about workplace safety. I became a Speakers’ Bureau member to share messages of tragedy prevention. I trained as a Volunteer Family Guide so I could support others, just as I had been supported when I first turned to Threads of Life.

Volunteering, however, has never been just about what I could offer. It has also been about what I have received. In sharing my story, in listening to others, and in walking alongside families through their own grief and healing, I found something I never expected. I found purpose. I found connection. Most of all, I found a community of people who believe in making workplaces safer so that no other family has to endure what mine did.

If Threads of Life is like a flame, offering light in the darkness and hope in uncertainty, then our volunteers are the fuel that keeps it burning. You are the ones who reach out to grieving families with open arms and open hearts. You stand in front of audiences and bravely share your stories, inspiring change and making workplaces safer across the country. You walk, you organize, and you advocate. With every step, every conversation, and every quiet act of kindness, you send waves of hope further than you will ever know.

So, this National Volunteer Week, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your time, your energy, and your heart. Thank you for being part of this movement, for believing in the power of community, and for making a difference in ways that matter, both seen and unseen.

You are changing lives. You are making waves. And because of you, no one has to walk this path alone.