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Volunteering, joing a local organization, and actively participating in your government are a few ways you can contribute to improving both yourself and your community. Volunteering may involve being a mentor. Clawson resident Bill Grazier, for instance, spends a lot of his free time mentoring boys involved in Scouting. This time of year is very busy for “Mr. Bill” as he is known among the scouts and their families. During January and March each year Bill volunteers to organize, set-up, and officiate Pinewood Derby time-trials as far west as Novi and east all the way to Shelby Twp. This is in addition to his many hours of regular Scout involvement throughout the year. Bill’s reason for volunteering? “It’s fun!”
Grazier is not alone in his volunteer efforts. A recent study conducted by Independent Sector, a national coalition of non-profit organizations, found that approximately 109 million America adults volunteer annually. And the percentage of the adult population volunteering has increased significantly since 1995.
“People volunteer for a variety of reasons: to help out, to make a difference, meet people, to feel good about themselves. The reasons are endless,” says Jason Willett, Director of Communications of VolunteerMatch.org. VolunteerMatch.org allows individuals to find volunteer opportunities in their area by entering their ZIP code on the organizations website.
Volunteers are local residents or individuals from surrounding communities. They represent all segments of society and range in age from teenagers to senior citizens. They are students, homemakers and retirees, as well as those who have full- or part-time jobs.
There are many volunteer opportunities available and finding the right one that matches your interest may take some time and research. Some good ways to start are by contacting your local United Way agency, services clubs, or volunteer centers such as pointsoflight.org to locate what opportunities are available in your area. If your city or town does not have a volunteer center, contact the organization directly to inquire about volunteering.
Whether it’s volunteering for an hour a week or becoming involved through one-day initiatives, such as National Family Volunteer Day; every effort, small or large, has a positive impact on your community as well as yourself.
Volunteers should always make sure they are doing something that is personally rewarding and meaningful. It’s also important to make sure you don’t get in over your head. Gauge your schedule carefully before committing to a volunteer opportunity, give time that you can afford to give—and have fun.
Updated Thursday, February 7, 2008