CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
We are so fortunate. We have a great job and a roof over our heads, but many take for granted the simple comforts we enjoy every day.
I wonder how many people I see sitting in their cars in Dorchester Road traffic every morning give a thought to just how fortunate they really are. I wonder if any of them have given thought to what they can do that day to make a positive difference in someone else's life.
How about you? Have you ever asked yourself, "What can I do today that will make someone's life better tomorrow?"
The answer is very simple ... how about becoming a volunteer? The opportunities are endless to give a little of your time and make a huge difference to someone else with immeasurable returns.
An example of the impact volunteering can make is to look at the new growth, restoration and development underway in the Gulf Coast region following Hurricane Katrina. In the weeks and months that followed the storm, more than a million volunteers responded to help with the relief efforts. Their time added up to more than 14 million hours of service! It's hard to imagine the progress that's been made without the help of individuals just like you and I.
"What's in it for me? What would giving an hour or an afternoon of my time do for me?" you say. Believe it or not, volunteering isn't about you; it's about the people who reap the benefits of your labor. It's about giving and expecting nothing in return. Notice I said "expecting" nothing in return. Expect nothing, and get everything.
Think you don't have the tools or skills needed to be a volunteer? Nonsense! Command Chief Master Sgt. Bernise Belcer spoke at the last Airman Leadership School graduation about what it takes to be a supervisor and leader. One of the things she mentioned was always having a toolbox at your disposal. She reminded us that the Air Force has given us the tools we need to be a supervisor and leader. And believe it or not, those "tools" carry over into the community and make you an invaluable volunteer and mentor.
You've been taught hands-on skills in your work area that might come in handy at a Habitat for Humanity job site. Your people skills include being a good listener, so why not go visit a veteran at the hospital?
Other opportunities include packing supplemental food boxes at the Low Country Food Bank or volunteering for the Meals-On-Wheels program and delivering a hot meal to a shut-in.
Whatever it is you decide to do and however you decide to help, you can rest assured that the people you help won't be the only ones who get something out of it.
Volunteerism reaches far beyond the physical act of building a house, delivering meals, or assisting a child or the elderly with activities that their disabilities prevent them from doing. Volunteerism touches the soul.