19 January 2009

A Call to Service

Call it service, volunteerism, community activism or whatever else you want. But you're needed. We're all needed. Our soon-to-be President has called on all Americans to take up the cause of bettering our country. He's not asking that we abandon our current lives and livelihood; only that we help in whatever way we can with the resources we have at hand. Many people are already helping but there's room for more. I have a friends who say they'd love to volunteer but since they work 8-5, Monday through Friday, they just don't have time. Maybe it's simplistic of me but I don't know anyone who couldn't find an hour a week during which they could do something for someone else. Many people donate money or other hard resources and that's great; many people are uncomfortable interacting one-on-one. But if you don't have money and you consider yourself a people person, donate what I think is the best thing anyway - donate you. If you're short on both, do something small to start:
  • stop at the home of an elderly person in your neighborhood just to say hello
  • pick up litter just along your street
  • call a friend who's been struggling at work/home/life and let them know you care

If you have time, boy, there are so many places that need help..medical centers, animal shelters, libraries, homeless shelters, schools, food banks, community parks, neighborhood centers, national historic sites. Any of those places - or a dozen others - would welcome you for whatever amount of time you've got to spare - be it an hour or a day.

There's a lot of work to be done and there are a lot of people to help. I guarantee you'll leave feeling better than you did when you went in.

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