I have said it before and will say it again, there’s a week/month for just about everything under the sun these days.
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But when it comes to Volunteer Week – this is one that really matters.
It’s about a shared experience – a helping hand when things get tough.
National Volunteer Week (which runs from May 21 – May 28) is an annual celebration of the generous contribution made by so many in our community.
There are more than six million ‘formal’ volunteers in Australia. According to Volunteering Australia that “yields a 450 per cent return for every dollar invested and nationally that’s an estimated annual economic and social contribution of $290 billion”.
Not bad, not bad at all! And it doesn’t include the people who ‘informally’ volunteer their time, to care for a loved one with a disability, or illness.
The theme for this year is: Give a little. Change a lot. It’s reflective of the fact that it doesn’t matter how much time you have to spare, you can make a difference.
It doesn’t matter if it’s serving behind the counter at the local Salvos shop, serving tea and biscuits to cancer patients at the local hospital, or standing out in the cold and rain for the local charity run in the park, it’s about making sure that no one is left behind.
We can be pretty proud of out track record when it comes to volunteering locally.
If I was to go about trying to name the groups that are out and about in our own community I would surely not be able to list them all.
Needless to say they are one and all doing a fantastic job, raising money, raising spirits and raising the profile of their respective organisations.
This week there’ll be a bunch of activities to celebrate Volunteers Week. It’s just an acknowledgement of the hard work and time put in by so many people – who ask so little in return.
Of course they do get something back; friendships that can last a lfietime, a sense that they are giving something back after a life well lived. So there are personal rewards.
But for the most part I think it’s probably fair to say our volunteers do it because they have a sense of community. And that’s the best kind.
So the next time someone tries to sell you a bear or a flower and tells you it’s for ‘whatever’ cause, don’t walk passed, stop and have a chat – buy that bear, or flower, or badge – and thank these generous people for giving their time for our community.
