wildernesse
11-20-2004, 07:26 PM
Hello, everyone:
I would like to encourage everyone to try to commit to working with a community organization for a certain amount of hours each month, and to try to build that commitment into your lives.
A group of us from the Women's Law Student Association at our school decided that we would give a couple of hours to an organization in town that we felt was worthy, and we spent two hours today lending a hand. We felt when we walked away, that there was so much more that we would be able to do to help that organization and that it would take so little. The number of staff that many local non-profits have is very small--and many of the staff members may be volunteers. In any event, most of the heavy lifting is placed on a very few people--and there are usually two million things that need doing or are planned with no one to put those plans into action.
I doubt that this is news to any of you, especially those of you who work in non-profits or are already active in your community. However, if giving of your time is not a regular part of your life, I would really encourage you to fit it in, if at all possible (and for most of us, it really is possible). If you are more comfortable working with people you know, take a leadership role and try to organize a group of your friends to have some together time and also help others. Oftentimes, everyone can agree that X needs to be done, or that it would be nice to help with Z, but no one makes the call or sets a time--if you can do these two things, then you're cut out to be the organizer.
When I think of the fact that I spent an hour yesterday, creating an email message to my group of silly friends about silly things they could do around town this weekend--and the fact that I spent untold hours on-line, keeping time, then it really hits home to me that I have far more than enough time to give to other people.
I think that this does tie into what Abe was talking about on the other thread about working to improve education--and no matter the goal, I think that if there is something you care about getting out there and doing, then get out there and do it. Like most things in life, the hardest part is deciding to start.
I would like to encourage everyone to try to commit to working with a community organization for a certain amount of hours each month, and to try to build that commitment into your lives.
A group of us from the Women's Law Student Association at our school decided that we would give a couple of hours to an organization in town that we felt was worthy, and we spent two hours today lending a hand. We felt when we walked away, that there was so much more that we would be able to do to help that organization and that it would take so little. The number of staff that many local non-profits have is very small--and many of the staff members may be volunteers. In any event, most of the heavy lifting is placed on a very few people--and there are usually two million things that need doing or are planned with no one to put those plans into action.
I doubt that this is news to any of you, especially those of you who work in non-profits or are already active in your community. However, if giving of your time is not a regular part of your life, I would really encourage you to fit it in, if at all possible (and for most of us, it really is possible). If you are more comfortable working with people you know, take a leadership role and try to organize a group of your friends to have some together time and also help others. Oftentimes, everyone can agree that X needs to be done, or that it would be nice to help with Z, but no one makes the call or sets a time--if you can do these two things, then you're cut out to be the organizer.
When I think of the fact that I spent an hour yesterday, creating an email message to my group of silly friends about silly things they could do around town this weekend--and the fact that I spent untold hours on-line, keeping time, then it really hits home to me that I have far more than enough time to give to other people.
I think that this does tie into what Abe was talking about on the other thread about working to improve education--and no matter the goal, I think that if there is something you care about getting out there and doing, then get out there and do it. Like most things in life, the hardest part is deciding to start.