When I came to Canada I was a reclusive immigrant. A dedicated and persistent volunteer helped me out of my shell and happily I have never looked back. We can’t always express our appreciation directly to those who help us, but we can pay back or pay forward by helping others. As a retired professor and volunteer I now contribute to the community by working with the boards of various nonprofit cultural organizations. For me, volunteering is a matter of the heart. It gives us a real feeling of reward and pleasure to know we’ve helped others. We gain in vitality and better health overall.