There is a saying that a busy person never uses time as an excuse. If we all have 24 hours in a day and 168 hours in a week how is it that some people always seem to get more done than the rest of us? Why is it that we can use time as an excuse to become a volunteer why our neighbor just added one more charity to her list.
If you want to do more and be involved in your community please consider becoming a volunteer. Here are 7 places you can volunteer this week that will make a difference in your life and the lives of many people.
1. Your local library is always looking for people to help out. You can put books away and maybe find a book to check out you would like to read. You can help with reading activities for little kids.
2. Meals on wheels is a great program to no only deliver food, but to offer a smile to someone who may not see anyone again until the next meal is delivered.
3. If you have an area of expertise offer to speak in public. Hospitals, churches, rotary clubs, or anywhere people meet. You could offer to do free financial consultations at your local rec center and have them put you in their quarterly program book.
4. Churches welcome volunteers to help with youth group activities. They can always use help in the kitchen for funerals or weddings.If you are handy you could do small repairs and upkeep to the building and yard work.
5. Soup Kitchens need drivers to pick up donated food from stores and restaurants. They can use cooks to prepare the lunches, and servers to dish it up.
6. Community activities during a holiday such as the 4th of July are always in need of people to work exhibits. You could direct traffic or take tickets at a ride. being a part of the community is a great way to meet your neighbors and help make your commuity a great place to live.
7. Senior Citizen Centers and Nursing Homes can always use your help to do things with the elderly. Play games, read a book to, sing or play the piano. You will leave a better person than when you came.
8. VolunteerMatch.org is a great place to find thousands of volunteer opportunities. It is as simple as visitng their search page and entering your zip code. http://www.volunteermatch.org/
These are just a few ideas of places you can volunteer and make a difference. Check you local paper for things that are going on in your community. Watch t.v. and listen to the radio. There are always many good causes going on and they could use a hand for almost anything.
If you will budget your time and plan a few hours every month you will find you do have time to make a difference as a volunteer.
