Usually, when a caring citizen does volunteer work, it’s for one or two causes and for a reasonable period of time.
Joe Whetung never put much stock in that approach.
For nearly 60 years, Joe volunteered his time, talent and energy to more than 30 causes and organizations. For Joe Whetung, volunteering is a lifelong commitment.
Joe was born with cerebral palsy. However, rather than allow it to become a deterrent, Mr. Whetung used it as a basis for observation. He couldn’t play sports, but he watched the coaches – and learned to be an exceptional coach himself. He also became a student of organizational structure and procedure. Along with his day jobs working with numbers, Joe became an invaluable addition to many organizations.
It’s an abiding truth that the success of any group lay in its structure, and management – ensuring that ‘the numbers’ are right. The organizations and projects that have benefited from Joe’s talents and dedication are many, and varied. Benefactors of Joe’s expertise were the Fair Boards of Peterborough and Lakefield, parks and recreation committees, Scouts Canada, O.R.C.A., men’s softball and the Salvation Army Christmas Hamper Program, among many others.
An enthusiastic student of First Nations’ history, Joe’s ability to trace the Whetung family back several centuries, is stuff of legend.
“Use what you have, to do what you can” serves as a sum of Joe Whetung’s volunteer philosophy. For Joe, volunteering is a way to do good, improve lives and make friends.
Not a bad life philosophy, is it?