Easy way to donate or become a volunteer today!
Recently I entered a competition to post an entry about a volunteer experience. The prize for the winning entry will be passes for Blog World 2009 in Las Vegas.
I’ve posted this edited excerpt about my experience and as you read it you’ll find that it really is not that hard to volunteer and contribute to a cause and in fact it’s pretty easy!
I think most people want to volunteer and to make a contribution or perform a good deed in order to make some small difference in the world.
I also think that for the average person, it usually stops at intentions and somehow it never quite gets off the ground. I believe this is due in part to being busy, not having extra funds, feeling obligated and overwhelmed, having personal issues which need attention, and to simply thinking that it will just be so involved there won’t be any way to make it happen.
Does that sound familiar?
So until you win the lottery, retire and have lots of time, (supposedly) or the stars simply align for you perfectly, here are a few suggestions that you may be able to implement immediately which really will be most natural and therefore easiest to start you out.
First here’s what I did and why I think as you read this you can ask yourself what are your interests, favorite past times, activities, etc , that can enable you to give something back as you incorporate your interests into your volunteer activity?
Personally I love live theater, arts and music and discovered that the Coronado Playhouse’s Free Shakespeare is endangered and without donations may cease to exist.
“Well I thought, to myself, this is something that I definitely want to go to and I’m sure there are others that would love to see the play and play a role in keeping the free Shakespeare program alive.”
So first thing I did was tell some of my friends. Next I sent for tickets for myself and friends and some extra tickets. I posted a message on various groups message boards, that I had several extra tickets available.
I did get takers for the tickets, so I was able to get the word out to others about Shakespeare’s free program at the Coronado Community Playhouse. Everyone got their tickets and we all got to see a wonderful production of Hamlet to boot! What makes it so great is that it’s such a worthwhile cause and contributes to the culture of our city.
So now the question is what you dear reader can do in your own right? Find something you love so it is natural, comfortable and familiar.
Here are some examples. If you go to concerts or theater volunteer as an usher or as a fund raiser, if you use libraries or bookstores, go through your book collection and donate the books you don’t need anymore, and volunteer to help at the next book sale. If your child plays sports or has a passion you’re involved with volunteer or try raising funds for the program. If you have elderly parents or Grandparents, offer to drive folk’s places or deliver their meals or call to check on them. Look for the activities you already do, and then just step it up a smidgen more and voila you are a volunteer!
If you find something you do anyway then you will have a much easier way to make your volunteer activities happen. Maybe some day you will volunteer to go to lands far away to build houses and dig wells, or get out to save the oceans, but who says there aren’t things that you can do right now?
Ask yourself what can you do to help? You can easily show your support by spreading the word to others about an organization’s needs, do things in support, post a link to this article on your web site or emails, tweet about it, spread the word, and donate!
In order to give you a jump start you can go to Volunteermatch.org to find all categories of volunteer opportunities.
Click here.
If you want to support the Free Shakespeare at the Coronado Playhouse, go to their link and donate and also get tickets and enjoy seeing their fabulous production of Hamlet!
Hamlet will run from September 11 – October 4, 2009.
Click here for Coronado Playhouse
