I was at the fair, too, watching the shy and not-so-shy students exploring potential futures with representatives from local businesses. I was curious. What types of volunteering would these 8th graders do? I waded into the crowd to find out.
It wasn’t the reception Racheal expected. The children stared at her. When she reached out to give them a hug, they ran off.
Racheal was volunteering with her church in a remote village in Mexico. Growing up, she had traveled to rural areas of her native country, Nigeria, helping people as part of a Christian ministry. She thought this trip would be similar, but it was not.
Sandie and Donna wanted to talk about definitions. These two long-time friends were ready for a good discussion and they weren’t afraid to challenge my assumptions. I had come to ask them how they felt about volunteering, but their comments about the definition of volunteer proved far more valuable.
Joyce is a nuts and bolts kind of gal, literally. She volunteers at the Truckee Meadows Habitat for Humanity Discount Supply Store, and she sorts, among other things, nuts and bolts. She’s a real fun person to be around, but she also is very pragmatic. She has some great advice for those looking for the perfect place to volunteer—shop around.
Sometimes, when on a journey, it’s a good idea to ask for directions. And who better to ask than someone who has been on the road for a while and understands where it might lead?
Margaret is such a person. She is very well-traveled on the ‘volunteer road.’ It’s the sparkle in her eyes that lets you know what she’s gained from the journey. After all those years of serving others, Margaret can sum up the power of volunteering in a concise yet profound way—“To be really happy, you have to give.”