Tag: NCVA volunteers

Join the NCVA’s Board of Directors!

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With the National Capital Vegetarian Association’s Annual General Meeting coming up this Fall, we are looking for volunteers to join our Board of Directors. If you are interested in promoting and sharing the vegan lifestyle with others in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, why not apply?

No experience is necessary—just a desire to promote a vegan lifestyle and help foster a vegan/vegetarian community in Ottawa, and, although Board Members are expected to be dependable and have enough time to contribute, the specific time commitment can vary depending on your own availability.

We are currently looking for volunteers to fill the following positions: Treasurer, Volunteer Co-ordinator (the Volunteer Co-ordinator could be a general volunteer or a Board Member), and other Board Members. The NCVA needs people to join the Board of Directors in order to keep the organization running, so please don’t hesitate to ask e-mail us with your questions about these positions should you have any.

The ideal candidate should:

  • be living a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle
  • become a member of the NCVA (if you aren’t already) (membership costs $20/year and has many benefits)
  • be passionate about sharing a plant-based lifestyle with others, promoting a plant-based lifestyle, and increasing the accessibility of vegan food in the Ottawa community
  • be able to attend the majority of the NCVA’s monthly meetings with other Board Members (usually the meetings take place on one Sunday evening per month) and respond to e-mails in a timely manner
  • be able to take on various NCVA-related tasks (which will vary depending on the Board Member’s specific position, interests, and availability)

The NCVA holds potlucks and events, has an active Facebook group, and offers memberships that allow our members to receive discounts at certain businesses around Ottawa. We aim to make a vegan lifestyle more accessible for those in the Ottawa area.

Volunteering as a Board Member gives you the opportunity to have a say in the direction that the NCVA takes in coming years—and it also looks great on your resume!

If you are interested, please contact us via Facebook or send us an e-mail.

Easy Volunteer Opportunity: Help Distribute NCVA Posters!

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Want to volunteer with the NCVA, but not sure how much time you can commit? Why not start by helping to put up some of our posters around Ottawa?

The NCVA offers potlucks, volunteer opportunities, and events, as well as member discounts at local veg-friendly businesses in Ottawa. We help people in the Ottawa area transition to and maintain a plant-based diet. The more people who find out about us, the more we can make a difference, so raising awareness about the work we do is important!

Our posters (which can be downloaded and printed off here) can be put up on bulletin boards in libraries, community centres, grocery stores, health food stores, and other places (just make sure you ask permission from the store or centre before putting our poster on their bulletin board!).

Thank you for your support!

Volunteers Needed!

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The National Capital Vegetarian Association is a completely volunteer-run organization. The NCVA always welcomes new volunteers, but at the moment we have an immediate need for volunteers to fill the following roles:

1) Volunteer Board Member

The volunteer Board of Directors is the decision-making body of the NCVA. Currently, we are looking for one new Board Member.

Term: 1 year or more

The ideal candidate will:

  • be following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle
  • be a member of the NCVA (membership costs $20/year and has many benefits)
  • be passionate about sharing a plant-based lifestyle with others, promoting a plant-based lifestyle, and increasing the accessibility of vegan food in the Ottawa community
  • be able to attend monthly meetings with other Board Members (usually the meetings take place on one Sunday evening per month) and respond to e-mails in a timely manner
  • be able to take on various NCVA-related tasks (which will vary depending on the Board Member’s specific position and interests)

It is preferable that applicants have previous volunteer experience with the NCVA, but if you have not volunteered with the NCVA before, we will consider your application anyway.

2) Volunteer Co-ordinator (Board Member)

This position will ideally be combined with the position of board member.

Term: 1 year or more

The ideal candidate will:

  • be a Board Member (see above) of the NCVA
  • be able to co-ordinate volunteers to help out with events and Restaurant Outreach.

Previous experience with co-ordinating volunteers is preferred.

3) Restaurant Outreach Volunteers

Restaurant Outreach Volunteers, organized into groups of two or three, will visit non-vegetarian restaurants in their community to give the owners of these restaurants our “Beyond Veggies” guide, which contains tips on how to introduce vegan options at their restaurant.

Term: flexible

4) Events Volunteers

We would like some volunteers at our upcoming movie screening (date TBD) of The Marshall Plan (and possibly other screenings in the future). Volunteers should have knowledge of how to use a projector and laptop, etc.

In addition, we need volunteers to help run the NCVA table/booth at events. If you don’t know how to get started volunteering with the NCVA but want to help in a meaningful way, this is a good opportunity! One upcoming event that we may have a table at is Seedy Saturday on March 4th, 2017.

Term: on an as-needed basis (and when you are available)

5) Marketing

If you have experience with marketing and would like to volunteer your time and skills with the NCVA, this position is for you. This position could also be combined with the position of board member, or could be taken on separately.

6) Other Opportunities

We welcome people to suggest their own ideas for how they could volunteer. For more ideas for ongoing volunteer opportunities, please see our Current Volunteer Openings page.

If you are interested in volunteering in one of more of these positions, please contact the NCVA at ncva.avcn@gmail.com.

Thank you for your interest in making Ottawa a healthier, kinder, and more sustainable place!

Ecology Ottawa’s Eco Gala

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On Thursday, November 17th, 2016,  Ecology Ottawa will be holding its annual Eco Gala, a night of food, networking, and entertainment  at the St. Elias Banquet Centre.

According to the Ecology Ottawa’s website,

“The 2016 Eco Gala will include the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Dr. Dianne Saxe, as our guest speaker, a delicious meal prepared by the Green Door, a silent auction and an opportunity to connect with the people and community groups growing the environmental movement. This event sells out every year and for 2016, we plan to have over 550 guests attend!”

This year, the NCVA will be sending 4 of its members to the Gala for a discounted price of $70 per person (the usual rate is $75 per person). Vegan food, prepared by the Green Door, will be served!

If you are interested in attending, please make sure you’re a member of the NCVA (that is, that you have a membership/discount card that is still current). If you are a member (or if you sign up for membership as soon as possible), you’ll be eligible to buy one of our discounted tickets for the Eco Gala! For more information about becoming a member, please click here.

To buy your tickets from us, please e-mail ncva.avcn@gmail.com and pay via e-transfer to treasurer.ncva@gmail.com

Additionally, we are looking for volunteers who are not attending the event as guests but would like to help run the booth that the NCVA will have at the event. Contact us at ncva.avcn@gmail.com to let us know if you are available!

Only a few days left before Capital Pride!

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Pride Parade 2010

The NCVA will be marching with veggie pride this coming Sunday, August 28, 2011 in the Capital Pride Parade commencing at 1 pm and we want you to join us!

Bring your fellow vegetarians, vegans and veggie-supporters to come and march with us in the parade and to show Ottawa how significant the veg*n community is in the national capital region!

This Sunday’s Pride celebrations are going to be wicked fun. If you can make it this weekend to Pride, don’t miss this opportunity to march with us!

We ask that you wear orange (or green or something veg-related) and show up at the meeting place (Garden of the Provinces) no later than 12:30 pm.

RSVP on Facebook here or via email at ncva (dot) avcn (at) gmail (dot) com.

Can’t wait to see you there!

PS – Come visit the NCVA booth after the Pride parade at the Info Fair on City Hall grounds. Also, we are putting out a call to all bakers out there who would like to donate some bite-sized vegan baked goods to give away at the Info Fair to show how delicious being vegan really is! Please email the above address if you are interested.

March with the NCVA in the Capital Pride Parade!

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Capital Pride Parade 2010

Come march with the NCVA in the Capital Pride Parade on Sunday, August 28th at 1:00 PM (meet in advance at 12:30 PM at Garden of the Provinces).

This is a great opportunity to show the strength and numbers of the veg*n community in the national capital region as well as the NCVA’s support of the LGBTQ community of Ottawa!

Respond to this invite on Facebook or by emailing us at ncva (dot) avcn (AT) gmail (dot) com, so that we have an idea of how many marchers will be joining us on the big day.

We will have a banner and we ask that everyone try to wear something orange (or green) so that we look more like a cohesive group. If you want to wear a veggie costume, email us and we will let you know if there is one available. First come, first served!

Don’t forget to bring water to keep hydrated as well as prepare for the weather (hat, sunscreen, etc.).

Click here for more information about the parade (including the route).

The NCVA will also have a booth at the Info Fair to promote the association, educate the public on the benefits of a plant-based diet, and expose the resources and welcoming vegetarian community in the national capital region. If you are interested in volunteering/tabling at our booth, please email us with your preferred time (between 12 – 10 pm).

If you have any ideas, questions, or extra RSVP info, you can email us and let us know.

Happy Pride!

E-mail: ncva (dot) avcn (AT) gmail (dot) com

NCVA at the Go Green Expo

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NCVA volunteers Michelle and Pamela get a taste of Pea in a Pod.

It took close to 20 volunteers and nearly 1,000 vegan cookies, but the NCVA recently participated in the Go Green Expo at Lansdowne Park with some pretty fabulous results.

Aside from Veg Fest, the Go Green Expo was one of the biggest outreach events that the NCVA has ever participated in.  It was a two day event, and it attracted thousands of visitors.  During most parts of the event, the NCVA table had at least several visitors at any given time.  And, Ottawa was introduced to the NCVA’s friendly helper, Pea in a Pod.

NCVA volunteer Madeleine.

We sold quite a few of our “Eat like you give a damn” t-shirts, and added a number of new members.  But the best part was having the opportunity to tak to dozens, if not hundreds of people about the NCVA and living the veg lifestyle in Ottawa.  Our volunteers came away totally enthused.

“WOOHOO! It was fun!” wrote one of the NCVA’s newest volunteers, Madeleine.

“Had so much fun and met such great people at Go Green today! Everyone loves vegan cookies!” wrote Julia on Facebook.

“Had a great time with the NCVA at the Go Green Expo- and met some nice new volunteers,” opined President Josh.

NCVA dynamo Erin giving her demo at the Go Green Expo.

NCVA volunteers Erin and Deb also put on fabulous afternoon food demos, a lovely and cruelty-free contrast to the meat and dairy demos given in the morning. On Saturday Deb Gleason demoed Veganize Your Brunch: Learn How to Prepare French Toast, Omelets & Tofu Chocolate Cheesecake and on Sunday Erin O’Sullivan was going to demo A Vegan Dinner: Spicy Peanut Soup, Curried Vegetable Pie & Orange Sweet Potato Cake With Raspberry Sauce, but ultimately modified to better fit the half hour time frame.

NCVA volunteers also handed out lots of 1/4 page leaflets encouraging people to come to Veg Fest on May 1.