We had the honor of attending a banquet for the Corps members and their graduation. I spent most of the two days in tears – wiping my eyes and blowing my nose. The first evening that we were there, I asked his teammates what was going to be hardest about leaving the Corps and one of the young men said, “Leaving my teammates”. The leak started at that point and I couldn’t shut it off. I was so impressed with what these young adults accomplished. They spent eight weeks in Louisiana gutting houses that had been vacant for over a year since Hurricane Katrina. They were required to wear hazmat gear in beastly hot, humid 90 degree weather while dealing with mold, rats and even one individual with a gun who didn’t want them coming in to his home. Fortunately, they also spent 8 weeks in Bridgeport, CT doing Habitat for Humanity. Obviously, that was a much more positive experience. They ended their tour of duty back down in Waveland, MS., which was ground zero during Hurricane Katrina. The town was totally wiped out. Interestingly enough, they were building baseball diamonds. When I asked my son why, he said, “The people need something to do!” I can’t say enough about what they experienced and the difference that these young adults made in other peoples’ lives.

At Christmas time, I took my 84 year old mother along with me to wrap gifts at the mall for a fund raiser for the Mid Michigan Red Cross. It was a really nice opportunity for my mother. She got to get out of the house and be with other people. She spent most her time fluffing bows and sweeping up after all of us messy wrappers, but she served a purpose. Sometimes volunteering is that simple.

Everyone has their own reason for volunteering. Often times it’s simply because you believe that it’s the right thing to do. People believe they have a responsibility to help others and give back to the community. Did you know that approximately 56% of all adults are involved in some form of volunteering? There are many benefits to volunteering, such as:

*serving as a role model
*being a good citizen
*improving your community
*helping someone in need
*meeting new people, expanding your network
*saving lives
*learning new skills
*responding to emergencies and helping disaster recovery
*improving the environment
*inspiring others
*preventing accidents
*build your portfolio
*focus on your expertise

• Research issues and causes that are important to you.
• Consider the skills that you have to offer – these can include anything from computer skills to cooking or from athletics to artistic skills.
• Look around your community to determine its needs.
• Combine your goals – think about your interests, your career and your personal goals – try to volunteer in a capacity that can enhance your future while you are helping others.
• Consider volunteering with your friends and family.
• Volunteer in a way that fits your personality and your lifestyle.