Meet Our Top 8 Volunteers of 2025 | Volunteer Appreciation Dinner Recap

Since Captain Scott Legacy Society’s inception in 2021, we’ve been working toward building “a future where people of all ages and abilities are inspired to connect within their communities, bound by a shared willingness to give and serve with kindness.” These are the words left behind by our late co-founder, Greg Helem—words we carry with us in everything we do. While we miss him dearly, we know he would be proud of how far this community has come.

While our primary focus has always been on creating interactive volunteer programming that is flexible, inclusive, and accessible to all, an equally important part of our work is celebrating volunteer spirit, culture, and identity.

On December 18, 2025, we had the opportunity to do just that.

For one evening, we shifted our focus from the broader community to honour a very special group within it: eight of our most committed, dedicated, and inspiring volunteers from the Volunteer Wave community. These are the individuals who step in when we’re short on volunteers, show up across a wide range of causes, and take initiative to lead, support, and uplift others. They are the people we can always count on.

They give generously without ever expecting anything in return.

They are the embodiment of the future we are working toward, already in action today.

They are our catalysts for change. Our community builders. Our sparks of light.

And quite simply, Captain Scott would not be what it is without them.

Our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner is one of the few invite-only events we host each year, bringing together our Top 8 volunteers alongside staff and their loved ones for an evening of recognition and connection.

Congratulations to our 2025 Top 8 Volunteers:

• Angel Li – Our very first volunteer, and the creative mind behind the Captain Scott logo

• Amalia Munteneau – Joined us at the 2024 Grand Volunteer Celebration and never looked back

• Harpreet Sareen – A newer volunteer who dove in wholeheartedly and quickly became a leader

• Joanne (Jo Jo) Dong – Former Community Coordinator who continues to show up and support whenever needed

• Janaki Patel – Always smiling, always helping, and always bringing creativity to the team

• Anna Gergus – The one who reliably steps in and saves the day, often at the last minute

• Yujin Cha – Quiet, observant, and an incredibly steady and valuable presence

• Micheal Chea – Our unofficial biggest champion, constantly spreading the word and dreaming big for our future

Over a delicious family-style Chinese dinner, guests connected through table trivia, heartfelt conversations, laughter, hugs, and plenty of shared stories. The evening felt like it passed in an instant, so much so that we had to gently usher people out as the restaurant closed. It was a night filled with appreciation, visibility, and a deep sense of belonging that could be felt in every corner of the room.

To all of our volunteers: thank you.

Because of you, the Volunteer Wave program continues to grow and create meaningful impact across our communities. Your time, energy, and care help bring positive change to life, not only through our events, but also through the many Community Partners we are proud to support.

Every action you take, big or small, matters more than you know.

And as we look ahead, we can’t help but wonder:

Who will be part of the Top 8 in 2026?

Will it be you?