Use Volunteer Week to give back to others

We have long supported volunteer efforts in the community, and we have long encouraged local residents to volunteer.

Through news stories and editorials, we recognize individuals who go above and beyond to help others who might be less fortunate.

The wonderful thing is, those volunteers do not donate their time for the recognition. They do it for the simple joy of knowing that they helped others. And that’s what makes them special.

Last month, we dedicated an entire magazine edition to special people, many of whom are volunteers. In “Ovations,” we profiled 23 local residents and one group whose spirit of community service is strong.

Today, we revisit the topic of volunteering in recognition of National Volunteer Week, which began Sunday and concludes Saturday. This is a week set aside to honor the many people in our communities who donate their time and expertise to help their neighbors.

But it’s also a time to encourage others to volunteer.

According to the National Services Resource Center, National Volunteer Week, established in 1974, is about “inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that, by working together, in unison, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals.”

Local residents can volunteer their time in many ways – at schools, churches, youth athletic programs, service organizations and more. There also are many not-for-profit agencies in the Sauk Valley that need volunteers to help provide services to the county’s most at-risk members.

If nothing else, we encourage people to do two things this week.

1) Thank a volunteer you know for his or her service.

2) Consider ways that you can give back by volunteering your time and resources.

Stumped for an idea? Take the next community problem you encounter – you know, the “somebody-should-do-something-about-that” kind of problem – and then, figure out a way for that “somebody” to be you.