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| Photo courtesy of www.jamestown2007.org |
Serving and volunteering has always been a meaningful activity for me, as it probably has been for you. From my teens, to young adult, to being within the workforce; now as a business owner, and looking way into the future as a retiree, I have found and will find many positive rewards from giving back, doing for others and finding meaning in my activities as a volunteer. Research has shown that meaningful activity through volunteerism greatly contributes to a person's abilities and outlook on life and to his or her general “happiness” level. The need for volunteers of all ages continues, especially in the community and for numerous philanthropic organizations. As the boomer generation ages, older volunteers, with their longer experience, may rise to the leadership within certain nonprofit organizations whose programs and activities depend purely on voluntary help.
I have found the personal benefits of volunteerism to be numerous. For me, these include self-satisfaction, learning or acquiring new skills, socialization, new relationships and community improvement.
Recently, following many years of serving on, or consulting to nonprofit trade and professional governing boards, I was elected to the Associates Board of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. In this new volunteer experience, I have learned that Wolf Trap, in addition to being America's only National Park for the Performing Arts, plays an important role in both the local DC and national performing arts communities. Through a wide range of artistic and education programs, Wolf Trap enhances our nation's cultural life and ensures that the arts remain accessible and affordable to the broadest audience possible. A typical season at Wolf Trap includes something for everyone with performances ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to orchestra, dance, theater, and opera, as well as innovative performance art and multimedia presentations. I’m looking forward as a new board member to being more involved in the many arts and education programs that touch thousands of students, parents, and teachers each year. And yes, AMG will hold its summer staff party on the lawns of the Filene Center Stage, with music, picnic baskets and drinks on ice.
I commend each of you who are currently giving and volunteering on the board of an AMG client organization, or for your church, your community, your homeowners association, your school, etc. to think about one of my favorite quotes on volunteerism, which reads, “A pessimist sees a glass of water as being half empty; an optimist sees the same glass as half full, but a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty.”
