A pleasant little surprise; this year's canvass kit for the Canadian Cancer Society includes felt-paper stick-pin daffodil giveaways. Spring: renewal and hope; resounds with the thought of the devastating effects of cancer. And, possibly because it is spring, people tend to be more cheerful, more giving. At least I've found that to be so, over my long volunteer-canvassing career.

When I canvassed in February for the Heart & Stroke campaign people seemed hesitant to part with their charitable dollars, even though most people, when and if they give, are modest in their donations. They're grudgingly unwilling to look forward in time and social awareness; more given, it seems, to complaining about the unrelenting cold, sleet and icy misery.

I finally kicked myself in the unwilling part of me to get out and begin that April canvass, last night. I hate canvassing, but so does everyone else, and no one, it seems, can find enough time left over in their busy schedules to volunteer to go door-to-door in neighbourhoods to ask for donations to assist the operation and research capabilities of our various health-and-service charitable organizations. So, out I went, the weather being sufficiently clement, unlike today's nasty cold and icy rain.

My neighbours, particularly those living on the upper portion of the street where we also live, and who have known me for several decades and I they, tend to be welcoming, warm and generous. It becomes an opportunity to renew acquaintances after the long indoors winter months, and people are garrulously given to insisting I be indoors with them as we relate personal experiences and neighbourhood gossip.

Enabling me to exchange goodwill overtures and sincerely-shared concerns. In the process helping to raise funds for another of our excellent social-medical causes. I feel I do little enough to advance the well-being of others in our society, and this way remains yet open to me.

I keep telling myself and my husband that the current year is the absolute last I will do this, but since no one else seems to offer their time and energy to it, I continue to volunteer. I tell myself next year I'll be 75, time to give it a rest, let someone else take over.

And then I remember that my group captain who also canvasses her own street is 85 years old.