Our awesome volunteers: Danielle Barrs finds light in the darkness

Last November as I was researching my next endeavor to give back to the world that has given us so much, I stumbled across a listing for what would probably be one of the most important experiences of my life. I’ve wanted to work for the World Wildlife Fund ever since I was a teenager. Having the possibility to do so was so overwhelming to me, it almost didn’t seem real. But I applied anyway, and then I got the call that I would indeed be a part of the very first Montreal team doing outreach for Sweater Day and Earth Hour. It was the beginning of an experience that would not only open doors for my future, but would connect me with some of the most passionate and hard-working people I have ever met.
When you get a chance to take a step towards your dream, it may not always be what it was cracked up to be – like getting someone’s morning coffee instead of writing that article you were promised. Everyone has had that job. In this case, it was everything I thought it would be and more. Sure, I didn’t get to witness a cheetah streak across the savannah and take down an antelope, or follow the migration of a blue whale and her calf from the breeding to the feeding grounds, but I have my whole career ahead of me for that. Instead, I got what every individual trying to pursue their dream hopes for: reassurance that this is indeed what you were meant to do with your life. And that is priceless.
Our small team in Montreal, three people strong, strove to help individuals understand the importance of standing up for our planet, and maybe passing on a little inspiration along the way. Although it was challenging at times, we were persistent and tireless, because we knew in our hearts this was a cause worth fighting for.

(c) Danielle Barrs
Earth Hour is about more than just switching off lights and saving electricity; it’s about creating a voice and standing up for what we believe in – a sustainable future for our planet. It’s about how everybody can make a difference, as long as they have a strong mind and an open heart. Look at us: even as a team of only three we tackled our task head-on, and what came out of it was spectacular. Dozens of landmarks across Montreal (and Quebec) shut off their lights for Earth Hour, and with every light that went off in the city that night, I couldn’t help but think “I helped do this.” It was the most amazing feeling in the world, and I can only imagine that everyone at the WWF has that same feeling every single day. In the darkness of Earth Hour, there was light. That light is bright enough to ignite the whole world, and hopefully one day, change it.