Volunteer Appreciation

Posted by Estela Kennen Apr 20, 2007

Since 1974, the US has celebrated National Volunteer Week every third week in April in order to recognize the contribution of our amazing volunteers. Here is a short recognition for all that volunteers do:

I came upon a bit of wisdom the other day in an article I was reading: do the positive. When faced with a choice about which you are ambivalent, just do the positive. Go to that party. Say hello to your new neighbor. Help the lady with her bags. It is such a simple message -- heck, even Nike uses it. But simple does not mean easy… and sometimes it can be irresistibly tempting to do nothing. After working or going to school all day -- have some down time. After having had a productive career -- enjoy a carefree retirement. You've earned it, you deserve it. Goodness knows life throws enough other things at you. But instead of coasting, you have committed to doing the positive, to helping your community, your country, or maybe a place you’ve never even been to.

I know that volunteering feels good -- that's probably why you do it. You also think it does good, but I suspect you have no idea how much good. Over sixty million volunteers in the US provide billions of dollars worth of value every year. The reality is you may never fully know the extent of your own impact. And it all started because you came to a crossroad and told yourself to… do the positive. Thank you.