At 71 years old, Stan Volk has spent decades volunteering across nearly every corner of the Lethbridge community—from coaching youth sports to supporting major events like the Air Show and Dragon Boat Festival. He got his start when his daughter needed a soccer coach, and since then has stepped up wherever help was needed. Now retired, Stan continues to stay active through the Lethbridge Sport Council's Sport Volunteer Hub, finding roles that keep him engaged and connected. His story is a testament to the lifelong impact and joy of volunteering.
At 71-years-old, Stan Volk has been lending a hand for over half his life.
The Immigration Settlement Association; The Dragon Boat Festival; The Air Show; High School Volleyball—almost anything you can volunteer for in this city, Stan’s been there and done that.
“I've always thought you should be involved in the community,” he said, “So when people ask for help, I jump at the chance.”
But as a business owner and a father, he rarely had time to spend weeks planning events or dealing with logistics, so instead he chose to help out where he could—usually as one of the myriad of volunteers that make the event happen on the day.
To Stan, that’s better than standing on the sidelines and watching.
“I've never been a great spectator,” he said. “I want to be involved in things.”
Back in 1986, Stan’s oldest daughter, Dawn, decided she wanted to play soccer. Like most amateur sports, Dawn’s team ran on volunteers, but there was no one willing to step up and coach. To Stan, that wasn’t a problem. It was an opportunity to volunteer, even though he wasn’t familiar with the sport (or coaching in general).
“I didn't know what I was doing,” he said. “But I do a lot of things when I don't know what I'm doing, So I volunteered.”
As his team of six and seven-year-olds ran around on the pitch, Stan did his best to figure out the game and tailor his coaching style to the diverse needs of a team of young girls. The effort stretched his skills, forcing him to grow.
“I think I learned more than the kids,” he said.
After three years of coaching, Stan got a little more comfortable on the pitch. But his kids weren’t done teaching him yet.
Stan’s youngest, Vicky, decided to pursue softball on a team that came with its own coach.
But, that didn’t mean it was fully staffed and ready to go.
“When my daughter started, I, of course, went to the meeting at the start of the year and they desperately needed a treasurer,” Stan said. “So I became the treasurer.”
He spent a couple of years learning the ins and outs of being a treasurer and then took a bit of a break before Dawn, once again needed a soccer coach. So, seeing his chance to get involved, Stan jumped at it and became the coach of a 16-17 year old team of girls.
After that season of soccer, Dawn aged out of high school sports and Vicky soon followed. So, Stan took his volunteering elsewhere for a bit, volunteering as the Chairman for the Immigration Settlement Association, and with the Lethbridge Air Show.
But then, he went and saw the Dragon Boat Festival, and loved it. So naturally, he wanted in.
“After the first one, I just happened to mention to one of the organizers, ‘I like what you guys are doing here. So if you have a second one, let me know,” Stan said. “And that'll get you several years of standing beside Henderson Lake in the hot sun.”
Then his long-time involvement in a running club turned into volunteering for the Mother’s Day Triathlon, which naturally flowed into volunteering at the finish line for the Lost Soul Ultra.
While Stan’s knees eventually convinced him to stop running, they couldn’t stop him from volunteering. He found himself a stool and stayed right there on the finish line, helping runners get water and re-fuel after a full day (and night) of running.
After decades of sporadic volunteering fit in around family time and hours of work, Stan decided to retire, which opened up so much more room for volunteering.
In fact, it opened up so much more time he needed help filling it.
“I registered with the Lethbridge Sport Council’s Sport Volunteer Hub,” Stan said. “They've been connecting me with places to volunteer, which is good because it gives me something to do.”
Even with his bad knees, and the requirement to sit more than he stands, Stan gets out plenty. He’s helped with just about every activity the Lethbridge Sport Council supports, from BMX races to archery competitions.
“Most of the places that I have been referred to are pretty good at finding things I can do, that I can spend most of the time sitting down, which I have to do these days,” Stan said. “That allows me to get out, meet new people, see people I haven't seen for years, and watch kids, and even sometimes adults, have fun.”
Posted May 8, 2025