why volunteer?
a while ago tertia blogged on WHY SHE VOLUNTEERS. this got me thinking.
as a stay at home mum who is rarely at home, i volunteer a lot. often i am asked, oftener than not, i volunteer to volunteer.
why?
there are several reasons i volunteer, a few not so attractive so i will get those out of the way first.
1. just like voting…the way i see things is, if you don't contribute, you can't complain. and goodness knows i do like…observing alternate ways things could be done. if i volunteer, i am helping things get better.
2. to know the organisation better
how unattractive is THAT?
yesterday, i spent the entire day at school getting ready for friday's halloween bbq. today i was there for four hours, doing the same. tomorrow, i will be washing dishes (volunteer) from 7.30-9.30am, and then will head to the school and do more preparations. i reckon i will get home by 10.30pm. saturday, am washing dishes again, then at noon i go and register for a volunteer stair climbing fundraiser, and then there is a halloween pizza party i am helping to organise to get the kids ready for. (i am trying to shag the guilts…friday i won't be around to help the kids get all dolled up in their halloween costumes….wah wah wah…what a bad mum). sunday i am shrugging off one of my weekly volunteer duties – teaching sunday school, so that i can attend the first rugby tourney of the year. (YAY KIDS!) and monday, i have most of the morning off (groceries??) and then i head to the jw marriott in order to help ICM set up for their annual banquet. this is very exciting for me because this year i have been quite involved in helping ICM.
this is not a typical volunteer week for me, but it has made me think why i volunteer so much. yesterday, a friend said, "because we know like with most things that 'if you want something done, ask a busy woman'. we know you can.'
by NO means am i the only person who volunteers. i am among the 10 per cent.
also, as a stay at home mum who works contract, i can be flexible with my working hours, so i do have the time. i don't have the money to shop at vuitton EVERY day, so why not volunteer? the need is so very clearly there.
let's face it, someone has to do it. usually, the person who asks me to help, or who is spearheading the entire thing, needs a hand. i know how wonderful it is when assistance is offered. how great to ease a burden. and i can. so why not?
i also know the difference it makes. through the kindergarten we sponsor, i know the difference financial donations can make. i also know the difference it makes to put in the hours and organise fairs, tombolas, book stalls, a small part of a banquet fundraiser. talents and time are just as valuable as cash, and in hong kong, they are rarer.
although my less than attractive reasons for volunteering do exist the truth is i do it because i want to. i don't get a great glow from volunteering (the spots on my chin will verify this fact if you want to take the previous sentence literally), but i do get satisfaction in helping to make a difference. and there is no reason not to.
kind of a boring post.
