5 Tips for Being a Star Volunteer

My team at the Toronto airport before departing to Guyana for a volunteer medical mission in 2010.

Preparation and the right attitude can make all the difference—for you and for your overseas host.

Good intentions only go so far. If you truly want to make a positive contribution as an international volunteer, here are five tips to help you be an effective and valued team member.

Read more on the Verge Magazine website»

"Mead"ing in the Beamsville Bench

When I interviewed my good friend Melissa for a Toronto Star travel story a couple of weeks ago, she couldn't stop gushing about the beauty of the Beamsville Bench.

"It’s just a beautiful place—it’s full of peach orchards and wineries and what could be less pleasurable and beautiful than that?" she told me. I was already sold, but then she said the magic words: "It's not a zoo. It's not Niagara-on-the-Lake or Niagara Falls."

So when I was sent passes to attend 20 Valley's "Get Fresh" wine and culinary event in the Beamsville region, it was pretty much a done deal.