Matt Kowalyk
About Matt…
Matt came to Rebound at the perfect time. Having just said goodbye to our long time guitar coach, Matt’s desire to volunteer with Rebound was a dream come true for the organization. In addition to being the inspiration to several young people at Rebound, Matt also spreads his time and musical talents to other worthy causes, including Sounds of the Next Generation (S.O.N.G.), and Grief Stories. His volunteering spirit is an inspiration to all who know him.
Why do you feel it’s important to volunteer?
The most valuable commodity we have as living beings is time. Our time here is not infinite. To volunteer for a worthy cause is the biggest gift you can give.
How does volunteering benefit you?
Every time I spend time volunteering I learn something new. A new perspective, a new story and a new skill to continue my personal journey of growth.
Have you ever been on the receiving end of volunteer work? Do you have a story to share?
No, but when I was in my teens I was very troubled and I needed someone. I was so lucky to have a mentor in my guitar teacher who guided me both musically and by setting an example of how good people should behave. I volunteer because I want to make sure kids like me have people like Steve in their lives.
Have you learned anything about yourself from being a volunteer? About others? About the world?
Every day. I've learned so much about people as I hear their stories and that influences the decisions I make as a parent and as a human.
In a world where we expect to be compensated (paid) for the work we do, what value is there to volunteering?
The most valuable commodity we have as living beings is time. Our time here is not infinite. To volunteer for a worthy cause is the biggest gift you can give and the reward of connection is greater than any financial compensation.
What advice would you give someone who is thinking about volunteering?
Try it. Give it time as the most important thing in volunteering is building trust with those you serve. Once that trust starts to develop, magic will happen. Connections made, bonds built and a little more good is released into the world.