The History of VCARS in Lanark County 

                                      In 2002, a group of like minded, dedicated individuals saw the need for VCARS - 

 in                                  Lanark County and they gathered together to prepare a proposal for the 

                                      Ministry of  the Attorney General to bring the VCARS program to Lanark County. 

The steering committee was successful in obtaining funding by 2004 and Joellen McHard was hired as the 

Executive Director. VCARS - Lanark County currently operates with two staff members, an Executive 

Director and a Volunteer Coordinator.  The Volunteer Bureau of Lanark County kindly agreed to sponsor 

VCARS - Lanark County until we were incorporated as a not-for-profit charitable organization in October 

2005 and an official volunteer Board of Directors was elected. 

By August 2005, VCARS was fully operational with a team of highly trained volunteers available to respond to

requests for service from police 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We currently have a 

roster of approximately fifty volunteers who are available to respond to the needs of victims of crime, tragic 

circumstance and disaster throughout Lanark County.