I was driving home, feeling a bit smug. I’d just purchased Valentines for people special to me – and I had days to spare before mailing them. The news started with several stories about charitable causes: a recent local adoption, churches collecting items for Haitians, Katrina successes.
Earlier in the week the US Bureau of Labor Statistics had reported 26.8% of our population over 16 years old gave unpaid time through or for an organization. The median amount of time given was an hour each week.
Compare that to 75% of Americans contribute to charity, giving about 3% of their income annually, according to givingisgood.com. A national United Way spokesperson said the average family contributes $250/yr.
The Labor Bureau’s survey indicated the main recipients of volunteer time are social and community service organizations. Statistics indicated the most likely person to volunteer was (drum roll, please) a married, college-educated woman in her 30s or40s, with children, and employed.
Why a drum roll? As a member of Soroptimist International of Topeka (SITK), I’m interested in finding women interested in community service projects to improve the lives of women and girls in our community and throughout the world. SITK has been serving our community since 1931. Visit us on Facebook to see what we’ve been up to and how much fun we have. You’ll want to join us.
The United Way spokesperson had commented that he’d like to change ‘give until it hurts’ to ‘give until it feels good.’ Another person put a more positive spin on the idea, ‘invest your time and energy until you feel good.’ Or the aged verse from I Corinthians: “And now stays faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Monday, February 8, 2010
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Circle of Life
Lately I’ve sure felt like life is one big circle. My daughter’s shows me the ‘new’ handbag styles or cute clothes and I’m remembering the clothes and purses I had in high school and college. Our college student asks me to checkout a ‘new’ tune and it’s either a remake by a young artist or one of my favorites from 25+ years ago.
While our President hasn’t personally contacted me to say, ‘Check this out, Gretchen,’ his message reminds me of an attitude that I was surrounded by at a very young age. There’s even the charm and smooth speaking style; the actions showing acceptance of all levels of people, not just the well-to-do. But what impresses me most, is the encouragement for all to become involved, to serve, where we live. That hasn’t been ‘in’ since the Peace Corp!
As a young adult, I met another man who got me involved in my community. If I wanted change, I had to do something constructive about it. There were NO excuses. The first time I was asked to help he needed a large batch of baked beans for a fundraiser (regardless of the fact I’d never cooked or eaten them), “so open a cookbook and figure it out!”
I’m a firm believer in taking action; no idle commentary. By joining my local Soroptimist club I made a commitment to help my community. I’ll offer my talents and skills to help others. I hope I add to my talents and skills too – I want to learn new things from others as we accomplish our goals. I hope that I leave an impression on at least three other people also, so that they too continue the circle by serving others.
While our President hasn’t personally contacted me to say, ‘Check this out, Gretchen,’ his message reminds me of an attitude that I was surrounded by at a very young age. There’s even the charm and smooth speaking style; the actions showing acceptance of all levels of people, not just the well-to-do. But what impresses me most, is the encouragement for all to become involved, to serve, where we live. That hasn’t been ‘in’ since the Peace Corp!
As a young adult, I met another man who got me involved in my community. If I wanted change, I had to do something constructive about it. There were NO excuses. The first time I was asked to help he needed a large batch of baked beans for a fundraiser (regardless of the fact I’d never cooked or eaten them), “so open a cookbook and figure it out!”
I’m a firm believer in taking action; no idle commentary. By joining my local Soroptimist club I made a commitment to help my community. I’ll offer my talents and skills to help others. I hope I add to my talents and skills too – I want to learn new things from others as we accomplish our goals. I hope that I leave an impression on at least three other people also, so that they too continue the circle by serving others.
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