Where Have They Gone?

Where have they gone?

The dedicated community service folk. You know the ones, the people who get involved and roll up their sleeves. The sort that jump right in there and "do what needs doin" regardless of the cost in time or money.

Service clubs across the area - perhaps across the country - are asking this question. So are nonprofits struggling to find board members and volunteers - let alone donors. School districts long for parents to get involved and actually DO something other than complain.

It's sad. 

Whatever happened to civic responsibility? To giving back to a community that has given you so much? And more than on the national "make a difference day" - I am not talking about one day a year. I am talking about working to make your community a better place EVERY day.

Whether that is by being a vocal cheerleader for what's great where you live, shopping local or actually being part of something greater than yourself. Your community needs YOU.

I'm not talking to the you that is only looking to pad that resume. Not the you who thinks that if they give lip service to a cause or event or charity that it will somehow boost that career. Trust me no charitable or civic organization wants yet another resume member. You want to give your ego a boost? You want to highlight your own self worth? Find some other way to do that.

But somewhere down inside is the you who appreciated it when someone helped you out once. Whether that was a scout leader, a teacher, a librarian ... doesn't matter who. Odds are today there is an organization that the helpful person of memory worked for or was involved in that needs YOUR help right now. So maybe you ought to put your self aside and think about someone else and how you can help.

Maybe you're not a "people person". Fine. There are plenty of local organizations that help out animals and they need your help too. No excuses. Whatever your passion is (so long as that passion isn't all about you) there is an organization that serves that passion and they need you.

They need your time, your talent, your connections and sure probably your money too. But just throwing money at them won't make you feel half as good as truly giving of yourself will.

And you know what? When you give of yourself you are rewarded in far greater ways that padding that resume, or self-aggrandizing behavior ever can.

Where have they gone? Where have the volunteers, the board members, the advocates gone? They are right there ... in the mirror and they are waiting for the invitation to do something that matters.