For Jim Wakefield, volunteering is simply part of showing up for the community.
A member of the St. Thomas Optimist Club for 16 years, Wakefield currently serves as vice-president and is preparing for a possible future leadership role with the organization. Through the Optimists, he’s seen firsthand how community events and youth programs rely on dedicated volunteers to make them possible.
Wakefield has also spent roughly 15 years giving his time to the St. Thomas Minor Baseball Association, long after his own children were finished playing the game.
And while many know him and his wife Diane from the ballpark, much of his work happens quietly behind the scenes. For the past seven years, Wakefield has been responsible for maintaining the association’s indoor training facility, the Power Alley, handling everything from repairs to coordinating maintenance when things inevitably break down.
From hosting programs for young players to helping prepare athletes for competitive tryouts, Wakefield’s efforts have helped build a strong foundation for local baseball. He points to the association’s recent OBA championship success as proof of how access to training and committed volunteers can make a real difference, especially at the grassroots level.
Even now, with his grandchildren playing in the league, Wakefield says his motivation hasn’t changed. Volunteering keeps him active, connected, and engaged in the community he cares about.
Quick to share credit, Wakefield emphasizes he’s just one part of a much larger volunteer network. “There are a lot of people who work incredibly hard in both the St. Thomas Optimist Club and Minor Baseball,” he says. “It only works because everyone pitches in.”
You can hear our interview with Wakefield below as part of our Volunteer Appreciation Day series on 94.1 myFM.
Written by: Kennedy Freeman
