Why Volunteer?

Why Volunteer?

by Tanner Francisco

In the literal sense of the word, volunteerism is the practice of someone working without financial gain (Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2009). While this definition is very concise and dry it implies that people only work and only not-for-money when they are volunteering. Volunteerism does not have to be work nor without rewards. The concept of volunteerism is often associated with altruism, the act of doing something for someone else without any reward, i.e., selflessness. While altruism has been attacked by philosophers for centuries—because no one would help someone else for no reason—they are attacking it for its literal definition, not the idea it implies. Altruistic behavior is intended to promote good or to improve the quality of life for another person. Therefore, I would define altruism as volunteerism and vice versa in many instances or rather that volunteerism is altruistic.

Support from the Top, but it takes each one of Us

by Amanda Martin

Public service has been a priority for many of our past presidents.

FDR started the Civilian Conservation Corps, JFK created the Peace Corps, and Lyndon B. Johnson fulfilled JFK’s dream of a domestic Peace Corps by creating VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America).

In his 1989 Inaugural address, George H.W. Bush said, “I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led, rewarding.” And it goes on. He created the Commission on National and Community Service to support his service agenda.

Then President Clinton started the AmeriCorps program, which is increasingly growing in popularity.

Most recently, President Obama signed the Kennedy Serve America act into law, boosting the budget for AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service, launching the United We Serve Campaign, and making civic engagement central to his presidency.

Thanks to support from the national level, in recent years we’ve seen record surges in American volunteering. Schools engage their students in service learning, businesses support employee volunteering, and industries such as the entertainment industry shine the spotlight on service.

Michelle Nunn, the CEO of the Points of Light Institute, leaves us with this thought from her blog on the Huffington Post Impact page:

“With challenges like unemployment, the drop-out crisis, prisoner reentry and environmental degradation looming across our communities, the call to citizens to step up and make a difference has never been more important.

Stage One: service through government. Stage Two: service through community. And now Stage Three: Service central to our national priorities.

Twenty years after Bush’s Points of Light, Obama’s call to service comes not a moment too soon.”

Remembering volunteering as a family

I have fond memories of volunteering as a child with my family. Every Christmas my family and I would volunteer at our church, organizing gifts from our Adopt a Family tree and delivering them to the families. I remember the looks on some of the kids when we brought them gifts – they were so excited.
My mom has worked at a nursing home my whole life, so I also would go and visit with the residents and have piano recitals there. It was so natural because it was just like going to work with my mom, but in a way it was volunteering. These values have been ingrained in me since I was a young child.

The Points of Light Institute says volunteering as a family is so important, that they created a whole National Day of Service for it. Family Volunteer Day falls the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year, and organizations around the country hold service projects for families to become engaged in their communities.

In Story County, families will have the opportunity to decorate pots and plant tulip bulbs in them. The plants will then be donated to a local nursing home and to Meals on Wheels recipients to help brighten someone’s day during the holidays.

The project will take place Saturday, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Click here for more information. Hope to see you there with your family, friends or co-workers!

-Amanda Martin

Support from the Top, but it takes each one of Us

by Amanda Martin

Public service has been a priority for many of our past presidents.

FDR started the Civilian Conservation Corps, JFK created the Peace Corps, and Lyndon B. Johnson fulfilled JFK’s dream of a domestic Peace Corps by creating VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America).

In his 1989 Inaugural address, George H.W. Bush said, “I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led, rewarding.” And it goes on. He created the Commission on National and Community Service to support his service agenda.

Teens Rock!

by Christina Blakley
By the age of 15, I had already fallen ‘in love’ with a senior in my high school, tripped in front of that senior in my cheerleading uniform and had that senior informed of my crush by a ‘well-intended’ upperclassmen.

Remember when you where 15?

Check out Taylor Swift’s video for @15 about her life when she was 15.

@15 is an initiative by Best Buy to inspire teens to have a voice in their community. Why? Because teens have opinions that should and need to be heard. They have the power to influence and create change in their communities if given the resources and necessary support.

Isolation

by Christina Blakley

Last night I was at a dinner at a local church where people from all over Ames can come for a free meal and a support group. The support group helps those in poverty build community and share resources.

I sat at a random table where I didn’t know a single person sitting at my table. All of them were around my age, a few looked in their 20s, another few were high schoolers and the rest younger. Perhaps because of the age similarity, I thought it would be easy to sit down and have a conversation with them.

What happened is that it brought back terrible memories of being the new girl in school. Sitting there awkwardly while everyone else around you is ignoring you and having their own conversation.

If you’ve ever been new to a place or new group, you can hopefully remember the feeling–it’s terrible isn’t it?

Volunteerism Stories

Coming soon!