Community Service

Over the last 10 years volunteering has gained support and popularity. First with teenagers, requiring a certain amount of volunteer hours in order to move to the next level of education or graduate high school.

In recent weeks it has reached a fever pitch with the President essentially asking the American public to volunteer, help in the community etc. Just get involved is the basic message.

I am in full support of this idea and want to get behind it 100%. What I want to know is how do I make it fit and does the activity in my own life count as assisting the community.

So let's use me as an example and see where we end up.

As the primary care giver for my grandma, this includes a weekly house cleaning, managing her medications and health care. As well as managing her finances and the hardest job is negotiating her food intake to manager her diabetes and maintain her food happiness. This rounds out at about 4-6 hours a week depending on what is going on.

Next is some volunteering with Seattle Musical Theatre writing documents for them. This is an occasional commitment, but when writing documents its about 2-3 hours a week until the document is finished.

Then there is the whenever you need me syndrome that I have. If someone says I need help with X, I feel compelled to do whatever possible to help with that.

So where does that leave me? Is it enough? I really don't know, but what I do know is that I somehow feel like I am never doing enough to help. I wonder if I am the only person that feels this way.

Here is where my dilemma is now. I want to go out into my community as our President has requested. However, if I am going to commit more of my time I want to choose something that really inspires me and that I am passionate about it. However, how do you determine what you want to do and how much time to commit.

I have a double problem, because I don't do anything halfway, so how do you choose and then maintain a reasonable amount of control in your commitment. If I am passionate about something I will throw myself into it and get really involved.

Am I making it too hard? There is also the idea that all the "Big" volunteer organizations don't need your help and then how do you get involved with "smaller" organizations where you will feel like you are making a significant contribution. Ugh...why doesn't the organization that needs me and knows I would be willing just knock on my door and ask for my help? It would be so much easier.

I am going to tell you this...I have been researching volunteer organizations for the last month and a half and I can't decide. I want an organization that I can help according to my schedule, use the expertise that I have is put to good use. Is that so much to ask? I don't know, but if I can ever figure out where to start I will be sure to let you know.

If you have ideas tell me cause I am open to any of them!