Volunteering win-win situation

Working at a soup kitchen on Saturday morning. Cleaning the streets in your neighborhood once a month. Teaching an underprivileged child to read and write, or how not to fight. Giving back to your community in any number of ways.

To volunteer is to give of yourself - not of your purse - for the betterment of someone or something else. Consequentially, though, volunteers will find a renewed sense of self after helping others. Volunteering is the ultimate win-win situation.

Individuals have a vast array of volunteer opportunities available to them. Outside of the examples listed above, someone looking to give back may be interested in conserving trout streams or other animal habitats, helping with their children's school events, picking up trash on the roadside, or devoting themselves to a cause close to their own heart. (Lots of people start their own charities, too.)

Volunteers have a reputation for being goody-goodies with knacks for organization and time management. But in reality, non-profit or charity work does not have to be the center of your life for you to make a difference. Instead, giving just an hour or two of your time at a food bank each week, or participating in a mentor program at a local school one day a week, can be just what someone needs. And boy does it feel great to fill the niche in someone else's life.

All of you reading from the Athens-metro area will soon have a chance to learn about a great number of local organizations who need your help to see out their mission. On Sept. 26, the Athens Volunteer Expo will be on display at The Classic Center in downtown Athens, Ga. I'd encourage you to attend and see how you can make a difference in your community.

I enjoy volunteering with the following organizations ...
Trout Unlimited - Board Member - Conserves cold water trout streams in North Georgia
Keep Jackson County Beautiful - Board Member - Works to beautify my home county
March of Dimes - Committee Member - Seeks to prevent premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality
Family Connection - Board Member - An umbrella organization that pulls together resources for struggling families
Friends of the Harold S. Swindle Public Library • Better Hometown Jefferson • Jefferson Area Business Association