Volunteering

I have been STRUGGLING to get my feet under me this semester and that is obvious in the lack of my blog posts.  I am hoping to get that turned around this week.  Thanks for being patient with me while I was quiet on these posts.

I hope you all enjoyed your (cold) long weekend!  Being that today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I thought it was a good time to talk about volunteering and the value of giving back to others in our community.

As you begin applying to college and for scholarships there are many times that questions come up about what community service experiences you have had. And, even if not asked directly, if you had memorable experiences they can often be used to support your essay responses.

No need to panic! Your volunteer work doesn’t have to be a huge project or consist of thousands of hours of time – what is important is to get involved!  No matter what year you are, now is a great time to start working on volunteering – the experiences will help you in the long run.

Community service opportunities are as different as each individual who decides they want to help make a difference in the world around them. The sky is the limit and I encourage you to find something that inspires you.

Some volunteer ideas that could help get you started could include – community beautification projects (cleaning up parks or areas of the city), helping elderly neighbors, visiting nursing homes to perform music or talk with residents, homeless outreach, helping at the library, packing groceries for a food bank, assisting at the humane society or other animal shelters, wrapping and handing out gifts to those less fortunate, organizing and attending holiday parties for kids or the poor that would usually have nothing to celebrate, serving in a project for those who are disabled or ill (such as Make a Wish, Adventures for Wish Kids, or the Special Olympics), fundraising or recruitment events, becoming the champion for a cause and helping with awareness (Diabetes, Cancer, Organ Donation), and the list literally goes on and on. Also, don’t forget that there are several co-curricular groups at WKHS that focus on community service such as Interact Club, REACH club, Project MORE and Wolves for Cubs and you are encouraged to look into those opportunities as well.  Also, if you are trying to volunteer during the school day at WKHS, don't forget that every semester we are looking for office workers to help out in the Counseling Center.

I am anxious to hear your community service stories and the ways you are working to make a difference!