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Volunteers turn out for United Way's Day of Caring in Kelowna

Starting this year, new tracking software will help the United Way figure out just how much volunteering is worth to the local economy.
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(Left to right) Kate Ormond

National Volunteer Week in Kelowna saw hands-on participation Friday during the United Way's annual Day of Caring.

Eight groups of volunteers were dispatched to a eight different non-profit organizations in the community Friday afternoon to help do work that United Way executive director Shelly Gillmore said may not get done without the aid of volunteers.

Telling the groups to be proud of what they were doing because, along with the thousands of volunteers in this city who annually give their time to help in a myriad of different ways, they were making a difference.

Gillmore said in many cases, non-profit organizations wouldn't have the budgets to pay for the work volunteers do.

"Volunteering is absolutely critical," she said.

Gillmore also said the local United Way has teamed uup with a local tech startup, Volinspire, to use software developed here that will help track volunteers and volunteer hours so the United Way can figure out just how much their efforts are worth, not only to local organizations, but also to the local economy.

The tracking will take place over the next year.