Volunteering - Just For Fun

Do you volunteer? I do --- not out of any sense of giving back or doing for others. I'm simply having fun and enjoying life doing what I do. First and foremost, Katie and I work in the church office once a week and I/we serve on various committees. We also have the "Therapy Dog" visits to nursing homes, extended care residences, and childrens' reading groups.

This time of year I'm involved in gathering donations and raffle prizes for our annual Animal Faire, our S.P.C.A. event coming up first of October. I'll do it again on a smaller scale next month for our church boutique in November. This "begging" is something I really enjoy. I've met shop & restaurant owners and have made a number of new friends in the process. Most of the time I walk up to people I don't know, have never met, and tell them that we're having a fundraiser for whatever and I need a gift certificate or an item that will attract people to our raffle table and it's amazing how the shopkeepers in this little town turn out ... again and again!

We're in the process of raising money for a "No Kill" shelter here in our area in addition to supporting spay & neuter and feral cat programs and it seems like we have a fundraiser of one kind or another nearly every month. These same people are there for us each and every time we ask. I try to be on hand for each event, camera charged and in hand. In addition, we do bake sales virtually every weekend and average $600 and more on any given Saturday morning; at a bake sale for Heaven's sake. The common folk here ain't too shabby either, huh! Small towns are awesome!!!

This is also the season when I find I'm living attached to my computer and my camera; designing and putting together publicity for other groups' community events. Pulling everyone and everything together to publicize these events is comparable to being a dentist ... in many instances, it's not unlike pulling teeth. However, I wouldn't give this gig up for anything! I thrive on the challenges of the work, I get to let my creative juices flow and, I gotta tell ya', seeing "my work" in the local papers and shop windows is a bit of a high and, again, I get to meet and talk with people and make new friends.

I love volunteering! It keeps Katie and me active, and I'm having a great time!