I've noticed something lately... There are about 30 people around my age I see a lot. Nearly all of these people are mothers and fathers with young families like ours. I see them a lot in and around our community. I see these people more than just at school drop off, kids concerts, and at our kids activities. Most of these people aren't my closest friends, but a handful of them have become really amazing ones to me and my family.
These 30 or so people and their families are the awesome ones I see volunteering out in our community. These people are doing more than just supporting a cause, they're out there making it happen. Seeing them so often isn't the problem, not seeing any new faces is.
Look, I know it's hard. It can be really hard. We have careers, little kids, dinner to make, laundry to wash, and groceries to get. We all do... But, we need you too. Your community needs you. In almost every volunteer capacity I have participated in- there has always been a need for more help. There are letters for help, facebook posts asking for people to step up, and volunteers out there asking for more hands to lighten the load...more help with school events, more people willing to help coach sports, more people to help with activities our children are involved in, more help to organize the club fundraisers, help with programs at church, more help to put on the community events, just more help...
and more often than not those calls for help are met with the sound of crickets. I know it's challenging to balance it all, but it seems the pool of people willing to try continues to shrink. It's easy for us to recede into our familiar patterns and leave the work for the ones who continue to put the effort in. The phrase 'many hands make the load light' seems to apply well to this situation and too often I see there is a severe load on the ambitious few that do make the commitment to volunteer for the greater good. In most instances these volunteers don't have more time, more energy, or more resources than any other person. What they have is a drive to make our kids activities successful, to make our community better place to live, to help lighten the load or to just make a difference in a world that seems so upside-down.
I'm not trying to guilt anybody into volunteering, but implore you to try it out. There are so many ways to lend a hand and many of those opportunities can also include your family! Together you can not only participate in the many activities & good will causes in our community, but you can help ensure those activities & causes continue to have a positive effect on our community and our kids. With any luck, participating in a volunteer experience will have a positive effect on you & your family too!
Without the continued efforts of volunteers many of the opportunities, activities and organizations that you and your kids enjoy will disappear. Our community is a great place with lots to offer, maybe you could consider giving it a little of your time to keep it that way.
