Many organizations in the province rely on volunteers to help them organize events, including one of the province’s most recognizable ones, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The ‘Rider Squad’ helps the team at home games by providing guides, ticket scanners, guest relations, and hosts while providing the best experience possible.

For the last 28 seasons, Marlene Hoffman has done just that by donating her time to the organization.

“They wanted some help prior to the game starting, so I volunteered to go and help out before because we had season tickets,” she said. “The more I did it, the more I enjoyed it, and I just wanted to keep going back, and I went from one job to another.”

Hoffman’s love of volunteering goes beyond football. In 2015, she was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame for her contributions to volleyball as a player, coach, official, and as an executive member as she sat on the board of directions for the Saskatchewan Volleyball Association for nearly five decades.

Hoffman said she keeps volunteering as it allows her to connect with the sports she loves.

“Volunteering gets you out there, around the atmosphere of everything. It’s just fun to be there,” she said. “I think it’s getting you out, keeping you active. As you get older, you need to keep being busy doing something, and volunteering is the best way to go out and take part in your community.”

She added that connecting with people and making friends is one of the great rewards of volunteering, though she noted that watching the Riders play is the cherry on top.

Harvard Media News is highlighting “Volunteer Week” in Canada, and shining a light on those who freely give up their time and energy in the service of their community.