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PACE will always be close to my heart and be an organization that I support but most importantly, it will remain a home away from home.

I had a dual role at PACE, my responsibilities included being both a Student Program Assistant and the Volunteer Coordinator for the East gym. My “on-floor” work as a Student Program Assistant was instrumental in developing my communication, leadership, and teamwork abilities. Being given the unique privilege of working with special populations, such as those inflicted with spinal cord injuries or those diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, allowed me to become a better person and professional. By working with these populations and listening to their stories, I was able to become a more empathic and grateful person. My “off-floor” role as the Volunteer Coordinator granted me the opportunity to understand the administrative work that goes into successfully running a functional clinic. Having to train and manage 120 volunteers year-round was not an easy task but thankfully due to the overwhelming support and guidance from the senior leadership, I was able to fulfill my role to a high standard. Without the help of Stu, Colleen, Angelica, and other staff, I would have not been able to bring volunteer participation from 15 volunteers to over 100 in one year. Through my work, I have gained some invaluable skills and have met some incredible people with strength and motivation that precedes my own. PACE will always be close to my heart and be an organization that I support but most importantly, it will remain a home away from home.

I gained lots of experience by working inside the exercise research and training centre.

Volunteering for PACE while in high school impacted me in many ways in my life because I gained lots of experience by working inside the exercise research and training centre. The one-on-one experience with my client who always worked hard made me learn how to be a strong leader and made me learn how it feels tracking their performance over time. The staff members impacted me because they shared their knowledge of the machines to me. I am interested in the Kinesiology program offered at McMaster University and volunteering for PACE made me get the feel of what Kinesiology is about by tracking my client’s progress and keeping them motivated to stay healthy. Experiential learning at PACE personally helped me learn about improving the health of older people with chronic disease or disability and learn about new machines that help improve older people’s health.

PACE is a wonderful example of the interconnections among research, education, and community engagement. Our community members are valued stakeholders in all of our research endeavours.

PACE is a wonderful example of the interconnections among research, education, and community engagement. Our community members are valued stakeholders in all of our research endeavours and share in the training of our incredibly bright students.