Focus Committe steps up One of the wonderful aspects of living in a tightly-knit community such as Toronto is the many organizations that volunteer their time to make life more enjoyable for city residents and visitors. One of the newest such organizations is the Focus in Toronto Committee, which has quickly made its name co-sponsoring and organizing some high-profile events in the city, including the Gem City Days Independence Day celebration and the annual Christmas parade. The committee has grown from the grass roots up and is composed of city residents who wanted to get involved in the community to make a difference. The organization has been extremely successful in hosting these activities in just the few short years of its existence, and the organization has proved its mettle in taking the reins and creating some memorable events for the residents of Toronto. Now the organization is getting ready to tackle and host another city tradition in taking over the annual Festival of the Arts, this year scheduled for Aug. 3-31 at the city’s gazebo commons. With the organization now sponsoring three major Toronto events, it’s only natural that more hands will be needed for the volunteer work to be done. The committee is hoping other city residents will be willing to help and volunteer with this year’s efforts for the events. The committee isn’t even asking for membership in the organization, but just for volunteers willing to help make these events as successful as they have been in past years. We commend the Focus in Toronto Committee for its past work in helping to make Toronto a better community for everyone, and we urge all interested citizens to take advantage of the organization’s invitation for volunteers. The committee has proved in the past a handful of dedicated people can make a difference for everyone, and we sincerely wish the organization good luck in its latest ventures. Anyone interested in volunteering should go to www.focusintoronto.com or send an e-mail to volunteer@focusintoronto.com.