Huckleberries Online

Sparky: Why Volunteer?

Posted by DFO

Feb. 24, 2009 5:28 p.m. • 13 comments

I have been volunteering since I was a child. My parents believed it was our civic responsibility. I see a need and I take action. I have been the grunt, the sergeant, and the general. However, most of my time donated now is spent in leadership roles and I really miss those days in which I showed up and just served coffee or stuffed envelopes or walked a dog or delivered lunch or etc. It is my job to thank and inspire volunteers for showing up. However, I don’t receive a simple thank yous for a task or job well done. Trust me, it is brought to my attention when I stumble or don’t read minds but a thank you has not come my way in months now/Sparky’s Notes. More here.

Question: Do you volunteer much? Are you the general? Or one of the foot soldiers?

13 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

florined on February 24 at 5:48 p.m.
I’ve spent many, many hours for many years as a volunteer, at all three levels. And you’re right, Sparky. The one shipping out the thank you notes rarely gets one from others (well, heck, nobody else was assigned that job.)

I confess, though, that like most volunteers, I do it because I WANT to, and probably get more than I give, if there’s a way to measure those things.
keithincda on February 24 at 6:53 p.m.
to answer the question. a lot. I’m generally the General at work so when I volunteer I’m always the foot soldier. And I thank the other Generals, always.
Stickman on February 24 at 7:15 p.m.
Though I have never been very religious in a sense, I will always remember something a very old woman told me once that spent her whole life volunteering. “Volunteers go straight to Heaven”, and it is something I have never forgot.
Cindy_H on February 24 at 7:19 p.m.
This question is for DFO:
Is being a volunteer the same thing as being volunteered?
Just wondering…
Sparky on February 25 at 6:19 a.m.
It was good to vent. I volunteer to make a difference. It has its own rewards. I just ebb and flow with my enthusiasm. I give a lot of enthusiasm and need an occasional refill. How do you guys recharge the tanks?
BethB on February 25 at 6:25 a.m.
Hey, Sparky. I have a spot on my blog just for cases like yours. I have a segment I call “Spirit of Service stories” talking about community service heroes who often go without recognition. What’s the story? Be in touch. I’m ART (accidental rabbit trails). That goes for the rest of you too. Oh, and thank you, for all your hard work. See? Someone said thanks!
scootermom on February 25 at 7:19 a.m.
Yes. I’ve spent many hours stuffing envelopes, making phone calls and scrutinizing budgets.

I have been in the trenches and in the boardroom. Both are equally rewarding.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.