Olivia Holmes
June 17th, 2022
For such a little town, there is much to learn! Here in Roberts Creek, I have spent the last ten days being introduced to my volunteer position for the Roberts Creek Community Association (RCCA).
The RCCA is made up of a group of local board members who are pillars in this community; through planning events, managing the community hall, and being a liaison between municipal and public fun, the RCCA touches almost every member of this community. My jobs have varied and my skills are only getting sharper.
The RCCA community hall has been undergoing renovations this past year, with shiny new cupboards and modernly inclusive gender-neutral bathrooms – the only thing missing was a little bit of organization! So, one of my main jobs has been organizing the hall’s cupboards, shelves, and documents.
Document organization has translated into an interesting archival project. Here I meet with Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives Manager to learn how to properly and safely archive old documents that will one day end up in the Sunshine Coast Museum. This has resulted in a hands-on history lesson as I review documents anywhere from 1960s-1990s past meeting minutes, posters, financial statements, and if I get lucky, a colourful resignation letter or two.
In addition to organization extraordinaire, I am assisting the hall manager in the iconic and annual local event labeled “Creek Daze” that has been entertaining Creekers since the 1980s. This year, we are planning on focusing on the event encouraging locals to make a difference in their communities in the small ways they can… we are leading by example by shining light on the voices and artists of our sunshine coast youth. Whether it be painting, dancing, music, spoken word, performance, acting, multimedia, or anything in between, the vision of Creek Daze lies within the voices and talents of our youth!
And through work and learning, I have met many friends and leaders along the way! The other day at the local coffee shop, someone looked right at me, a new friend (and stranger at the time) named Zak, and said “Did you just move here?” followed by a very friendly 30-minute conversation. It was the perfect example of what it is like living here in Robert’s Creek, so tight knit that newcomers are recognized right away, but as soon as they know you, they treat you just like family.
I’ll end with the same sentiment I ended with my conversation with Zak, “I just LOVE living in the Creek!!!”
Olivia Holmes