Katherine and Mariaye have been volunteering with the Youth Volunteer Connections Program here at Volunteer Victoria since September 2010. Between the two of them they write and illustrate the Newsflash.
What is the Newsflash, you say?
The Newsflash is our volunteer posting email that goes out to over 1500 youth and interested people once every two weeks. Mariaye finds cool, youth-friendly volunteer positions on our database and writes them up for the Newsflash. She summarizes the position to provide a potential volunteer with the important nuggets that they’ll need to know – what does the job look like, what time frame, what kind of commitment? Katherine takes the volunteer positions that Mariaye has written and lets her imagination fly. She highlights different volunteer positions with her original computer generated art.
What a remarkable team! Both Katherine and Mariaye are indispensable to getting our Newsflash out on time, and with relevant and interesting postings.
In an effort to get to know our Newsflash team a little better, I interviewed both over a cup of coffee.
Katherine
Graduated from Esquimalt Secondary in 2010
Website: http://tehartmonkey.deviantart.com/
How long have you been drawing?
For as long as I’ve been able to hold a pencil. But I’ve been drawing seriously since about 12 years old.
What inspires you?
Drawing is just sorta my life. When I’m working on the Newsflash I read over the postings and I get an image. I’ll draw that image.
What music do you listen to when you’re creating an image?
I listen to movie soundtracks, or something instrumental.
What do you love about volunteering?
It’s easy, not as stressful as a job. I get to do it in my own free time, and the people I get to work with are so nice.
If you could have a super power what would it be?
Invisibility…or Flying…or Flying invisibly.
Mariaye
In Grade 10 at Oak Bay
How long have you been writing?
I made my first book at 4 years old. It was about an Alien named Morgana who had her own spaceship.
What inspires you?
Writing is limitless. Whatever you feel like drawing on you can!
What kind of music do you listen to when you’re writing?
I can’t listen to music when I work. Background instrumental music is okay…like Mozart or something.
What do you love about volunteering?
It’s an easy way to get the skills that you will need later on, and it helps to get your name out.
If you could have a conversation with anyone, who would you choose?
There are so many good people! Queen Elizabeth I, or Shakespeare…or Jane Austen…
A huge thank you goes out to both of these volunteers, without whom we would not be sending out our Newsflash with such style and flair!
To sign up to receive the Newsflash through your email, email Leanna at leanna@volunteervictoria.bc.ca and write “subscribe to Newsflash” in the subject line.