National Volunteer Week

ATTN: This week is National Volunteer Week (well, the end of it). I bet you can guess what I'm going to say ... DO SOMETHING. Help a friend clean or paint their house. Mow a neighbor's lawn. Pick up trash in the neighborhood. Help your local food shelf for an afternoon. Babysit for free. Donate blood. Share a talent. Become a mentor. Write letters to government leaders asking them to support your cause. etc. Check out the dosomething website for some really cool ideas!

Need some inspiration? Many of you should know by now, that this past summer I worked with the Iowa Resource for International Service bringing students from Tanzania & Nigeria to Iowa through the State Department Youth Exchange & Study Program. Well, all of the students are required to participate in at least 2 hrs of community service per month. Many of the students have gone above and beyond the requirements, even though community service is not overly common in their native countries. Some even choose to volunteer weekly!

While I was in Ames, I was proud to attend a ceremony for one of our students who received a Story County Youth Volunteer Award; this particular student spends every Saturday volunteering her time at a local nursing home. I've heard that another student travelled to New Orleans on a volunteer mission trip. Some students are participating in high school sponsored community service days, and many others are teaching various groups about their native culture. As a group, all 60 students worked together packaging food to be sent to countries in need. The IRIS blog has inspiring posts from students (including alumni) describing what community service has meant to them. Inspiration. 

60 teenage students from Tanzania and Nigeria can find time and motivation to give back to their host communities... why can't you? Volunteering not only helps your community, but makes you feel great too! Start now.