Gabriela Rubio ’s volunteer resume makes it hard to imagine how she finds the time to maintain such a high academic standard at school.
This Grade 12 student at OKM helps out at Immaculate Conception Church, has been a candy-striper at Cottonwoods care facility, is a volunteer at Kelowna General Hospital in a number of different areas and has logged more than 550 hours in the last two years, founded and coordinated the table tennis club at her school, worked as a leader at Gardom Lake Bible Camp last year and as a cabin leader and assistant life guard this year—roles typically given to much older youths—volunteers at Missionwood Retirement Home, referees soccer and volleyball, is a Ranger in Girl Guides where she helps fundraise for numerous causes, plays in the OKM concert band, and plays volleyball and dances.
Her reason for doing all she does is simple.
She says it’s not about her, it’s about creating the type of community where she wants to live. And she is doing just that.
As her nominator Nancy Wells put it, for someone so young—Gabriela just turned 16—she has a strong understanding of how volunteering helps create a better world and giving back to your community helps change the lives of so many.
“Knowing you can affect the lives of so many is really very rewarding,” says Gabriela when asked what she gets out of her volunteer work.