“Reimagine what is possible.”
Paul Marriage was a retired scientist and project manager when his wife suggested that he volunteer for the Tetra Society in 2015. She had stumbled upon a Kijiji ad posted by Sylvia Baliko, the society’s central region coordinator. Inspired in part by his grandson who has arthrogryposis—a condition causing muscle and joint stiffness—Paul decided to lend his skills to the society.
“It seemed a natural fit that I could perhaps use some of my background in management and looking after projects to help out in the role of coordinator, which was the role being advertised for Ottawa,” Paul shared.
A decade later, Paul has connected with numerous individuals in Ottawa, significantly improving the lives of local people with disabilities. Since the Tetra Society focuses on creating personalized adaptive equipment, strong community relationships are key to success. Paul has witnessed the Tetra Society’s Ottawa chapter grow from just a couple of volunteers to over 20. He recalls that connecting with one of his first clients, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), truly kickstarted the chapter’s growth.
“A number of projects came through [CHEO] and then they got word, and it was largely not as much the advertising or marketing as it was the personal connections,” he explained, noting that the hospital staff began to see the Tetra Society as an invaluable resource.
Paul says the most enjoyable part of interacting with clients is witnessing their profound happiness over a new possibility that the Tetra Society has created for them. In his role, Paul discusses equipment requests with clients, finds volunteers with the appropriate skills to tackle the job, and investigates the best solutions to meet their needs. Many clients have expressed how beneficial the new equipment has been for them. In one case, he specifically points to a thankful mother writing a letter about a swing the society made for her daughter in a power wheelchair. These experiences continually reinforce Paul’s belief in what the Tetra Society represents.
“I really am a subscriber to the slogan that the Tetra Society has been using; reimagine what is possible,” he stated. “This is a positive part in engaging initially with a client, and in almost all cases, it’s been a sort of ‘wow’ factor.”
Paul’s dedication to the Tetra Society recently earned him both the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Central Region and the Project Excellent Award for the Central Region in 2024. In that year alone, Paul racked up an astounding 203 volunteer hours across 12 different projects. While Paul feels “pleased” about the awards, this feeling stems from being able to apply his project management skills to something that has positively impacted so many lives.
More than anything, he credits Sylvia Baliko for support over the past 10 years. He sees Sylvia as a reliable guide who has helped build a supportive environment at the Tetra Society’s Ottawa chapter. Though Paul has undoubtedly made a significant impact on the Tetra Society, he humbly noted that “my role would not work very well at all unless I had someone guiding me.”
For those considering volunteering with the Tetra Society, Paul advises having “a desire to help and also an opportunity to have their skills [give] meaning and purpose for others.” These are people who see a need in society and want to be part of the solution. “Here’s an opportunity to not benefit your employer, but to benefit a community who represent such a significant part of our population.”
Inspired by Paul’s long-term commitment?
Visit https://tetrasociety.org/volunteer/ or email volunteer@disabilityfoundation.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities.