By Nick Stewart

The virtues of volunteering are in danger of becoming eclipsed by the materialism and individualism growing on the Western horizon, threatening the kindness and nobility that make Canada great, says Matthew Little.

Matthew Little Union Gas Essay Scholarship Winner 2006

When this University of Guelph freshman talks about the virtues and importance of volunteering, he’s not speaking from a soapbox. His dedication to putting this idea of volunteering into practice has earned him plenty of attention, not to mention this year's Union Gas Essay Scholarship.

Little’s involvement in the Greater Sudbury community is vast and varied. He contributed his time to the Lockerby Composite School student newspaper, helped to establish a student-run youth issues program, and has volunteered as a cross country ski coach for children. It’s a wonder he had time to pursue his passions for writing, playing the piano or an active lifestyle – not to mention his part-time job and academic efforts, for all the time he has spent volunteering.

Having grown up on a 40-acre farm near Whitefish, Ontario, Little also has a strong appreciation of the outdoors and is regularly involved with mountain biking, snowboarding, canoeing and camping. What's more, the first-year Environmental Science student was a fierce competitor in cross country running, as well as track, in each of his four years of high school, though it is cross country skiing that has most fully captured his attention.

Little credits proper time management and organization with being able to maintain this particular balancing act, though it’s clearly his passion for volunteer work and his belief in a strong community that has helped to carry him through to his current success.

“If you look at nearly every aspect of society, you’ll find people who are donating their time,” he says. “Were it not for volunteers, we wouldn't have certain fire fighting services or different sporting programs for young kids. It's essential to making a community work, and you can't stress how important it is."

Having also earned the 2005 Community Builders Award from Northern Life, as well as a 2006 Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation National Award worth up to $70,000.00, Little practices what he preaches without sacrificing academic performance.

While the countless hours of volunteer work that he’s invested within the Greater Sudbury area during his secondary school years have led him to a secure financial situation within his post-secondary career, this benefit is purely accidental, as his time was donated for decidedly different reasons.

“It really sounds like a cliché, but it feels good to help someone,” he says. “It’s great to know you’re making a difference. It sounds stereotypical, but it’s absolutely true.”

The fact that volunteering has been shrinking in Canada in recent years stands as a particular point of concern for Little, who says that the young volunteers of today are the volunteers of tomorrow. As community service levels drop among that age bracket, so do hopes for a strong presence in the future.

As someone who has spent years working within the community, Little has a unique perspective on how donating time can change your perception and make you more conscious about issues that stretch beyond your backyard.

“It makes you care a little bit more about what's happening in current events,” he says. “Getting involved at the school level with its localized problems makes you far more aware of the bigger problems in the world. I wouldn't say it’s totally a result of volunteering, but since I've started to get involved with things outside of school and sports, I’ve definitely become more interested in world issues, and I’m not sure that would have been the case had I not been as involved in volunteering.”

While Little is likely to have his hands full with academic pursuits and his continued need to remain involved in sports and other active living endeavours, he says that he’s eager to explore the opportunity for volunteer efforts in his new environment.