Our communities are blessed with wonderful volunteer organizations who perform many services to the people.
Without them, the costs to provide those services would bankrupt our communities. Without them, the costs to provide the variety of community and educational activities would keep those activities from happening. Without them, people who need help wouldn't get it. Without them, our communities would be at risk, isolated and, yes, even boring.
Volunteers help the people of a community achieve a feeling of fellowship with others. Most volunteers share interests and goals. Most important to them is serving others.
Money is always a concern for many volunteer organizations. Money to help those in need; money to purchase what is needed to provide the service; and money to keep the group in the service of serving others.
When many of our local organizations were formed so many decades ago, it was the volunteers who provided much of the startup money and the elbow grease to get the group going.
In the early days, it was the money from the volunteers' pockets that kept the public service going until donations and fund-raising kicked in.
When times were rough, it was their grit, determination, and their own money that helped the helpers get by so they could continue their work.
Such was their devotion and sense of responsibility to serve others. Their desire was to provide a public service to help the people in their community and their goal was to perform well in the eyes of those people.
Working side-by-side with fellow volunteers, they performed without being arrogant or condescending to their peers. It was all about the people they served, not the attention it could bring to themselves.
Their thanks was in the pride of personal accomplishments in reaching their goal of proudly serving the community and of the appreciation shown by those who were helped because of their efforts.
For that, they are to be thanked and admired. Without them, some groups wouldn't exist today.
Organizations run by volunteers hold carnivals, dinners, picnics, yard-sales, bake-sales, and so many other types of fund-raisers today to support their charitable work.
You can go online to Amazon Prime, GoFundMe, or any of a number of other sites that will take your online information, sometimes for a fee, and forward your contribution to the group.
But, with so many fine events happening throughout the area and with so many new folks moving into the area, take advantage of supporting the groups by attending their events. You will be providing them with funding so desperately needed, while getting a chance to see old friends and meeting a few new ones.
With the changing of the season, the warm weather will bring about the fine affairs that support so many good causes.
Spend some time with your local volunteers; see old friends and make new ones while doing something good for the community.