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GGP Volunteer’s Experience in our English Classes: I Always Feel I Get More From the Students Than I Give

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GGP Volunteer’s Experience in our English Classes: I Always Feel I Get More From the Students Than I Give

When Karen Bolstad retired from her job as a mediator in Small Claims Court, she began looking for volunteer opportunities that would interest her. Her husband, Don Purich, had been volunteering with Global Gathering Place in a variety of classes since 2020 and enjoyed it so much that Karen felt she had to try it.

Since joining in early 2023, Karen has volunteered alongside instructor Rachel across a range of classes and levels. She began in the LINC CLB 3–4 class and has since supported Rachel’s Foundation-level class and Power in Pronunciation, a class that focuses on syllabication along with word and sentence stress to improve comprehension. Karen is now in the LINC CLB 2–3 class, volunteering in the same classroom as her husband!

Karen loves assisting in the classrooms, noting that it is a great experience as well as a lot of fun. When asked what she enjoys most about volunteering, she says, “No question it’s the involvement with students. They are the best!”

One of Karen’s favourite moments from her years as a Global Gathering Place volunteer is when she ran into a former student in her class. “More correctly, she ran over to me and gave me the warmest, biggest hug, thanking me for all I’d done.”

Karen reflects, “Given the work I’ve done over the years, I’ve had experience with people from many walks of life and diverse backgrounds. What sets GGP apart from those experiences is the ongoing, regular, and sometimes in-depth, contact we have with the students. I have learned so much about our world, and the wars and strife faced by so many people. More people in Canada (and elsewhere) need to understand this and see how lucky we are—I think we’d all be more tolerant. I always feel I get more from the students than I give.”

We thank Karen for her years of dedication in our English Language Classes. As mentioned in our client highlight by Olivia, learning English can be one of the hardest adjustments when moving to Canada. Volunteers ease this weight and make a huge difference in the lives of newcomers in these classrooms.

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