National Volunteers Week 2025

As part of National Volunteers Month and National Volunteers Week April 27-May 3, Swim Ontario would like to thank our hard working volunteers who give their time and commitment to help our sport and community on a daily basis. We will be highlighting many of our wonderful volunteers over the next few weeks.

Flash back many years ago, to those days when she was a teenager, and Siobhán Muldowney had a desire to help people – and it’s something she’s still doing.

Muldowney chose medicine and that dream became a reality. For her, it has included a commendable 25 years as a family doctor as well as an eight-year term as a physician at the Brockville General Hospital.

When mentioning bygone days, Muldowney also recalls the time she devoted to responsibilities as a “candy striper”. That’s a term once used referring to a teenage volunteer, who had worked in a medical facility and responsible for taking care of a variety of duties. In a hospital environment, Muldowney was fascinated with the emergency room.

That experience was also her initiation to volunteering - the act of giving time, often for community service, rather than receive a financial reward or some form of remuneration. For her, it was a social responsibility and a form of giving back.

Now, Dr. Muldowney – and she prefers to drop the first two letters outside of medical care – is actively involved in a host of volunteering activities. High on the list, another title – swim official. To be more accurate, a Level 5 master official. That’s top of the list or elite classification when describing the importance of such a key responsibility.

Born in Edmonton, educated at the University of Alberta - and McGill University is where she did her family practice residency - Dr. Muldowney has devoted a great deal of her time to making people feel healthy.

While arranging her busy schedule to allow time to volunteer, there are many who say she’s contributing to healthy active lifestyles by refereeing, judging and doing a host of important functions at various swim meets.

“We need to build officials – there are not enough available for meets and those who are losing are the kids, the athletes,” said Dr. Muldowney, who was selected to officiate at the Canada Games this summer in St. John’s, Nfld.

“I have volunteered all over – from Ottawa to Ernestown, Kingston to Amherstburg. While it is great to know that I am helping, there is no alternative because of a shortage of officials.”

Dr. Muldowney shares a story, dating back to 2009, when a swim club in Perth was about to lose out on hosting meets because there weren’t enough officials. She was a big supporter of the Perth Stingrays Swim Club. Perth is about a 45-minute drive northwest of Brockville. That’s where she lives and supports the Upper Canada River Otters, a small swim club, but with big ambitions.

“I’ve been a swim volunteer for 15 years and I can remember, back in 2008, performing marshalling duties and organizing kids – explaining which lane to go to for races at the Perth and District pool,” said Dr. Muldowney, who is a wife to a very supporting husband (an artist), and she is also the mother and former taxi driver to swim meets for her two children.

“I am so hooked into this sport and strongly believe in building meets at the grassroots level.”

When the topic is raised – one of developing a volunteer base of officials for smaller communities, Dr. Muldowney said senior swim officials can only be stretched so far as they are the ones who cover their own expenses.

“I volunteer because of the people,” said Dr. Muldowney, who is also an Eastern Ontario regional rep. “I also love the sport and enjoy watching the development of young kids who always swim their guts out to excel. Being in a position where I can advise and bring about other officials, mentoring them is something I’m proud of. I have this deep passion to build people up.”

Volunteering time is one thing, but having parents also pitch in and give their time to help at a meet, is also crucial. The objective, as Dr. Muldowney articulated, is to help young people enjoy the sport of swimming.

In Canada, National Volunteer Week is from April 27 to May 3 and the theme is “Volunteers Make Waves”. It’s an opportunity to highlight the power and impact of volunteer efforts.

April is also a month when people like Dr. Muldowney, are recognized, for their major impact in volunteering. It’s National Volunteer Month - a time to celebrate and highlight the contributions of millions of people in Canada. Individuals who have contributed, in a positive way, towards the lives of others by volunteering their time in communities across the country.

David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 50+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.