LINCOLN – From hurricane Sandy to the not-so-long-ago Hurricane Katrina, natural disasters adversely affect many lives. But before these disasters occur, people still need help and assistance.
Helping folks in our own communities is an everyday obligation, and volunteerism is one major way of helping.
According to the executive director of Volunteer Partners, Wayne Svoboda, “You can write a check which is good…non-profits need funds, but that’s kind of impersonal. The most personal and profound way to give is to give your time.”
Instead of the ho-hum Christmas tie, Svoboda suggests giving “Give Certificates,” gifting 20 hours of your time to an organization that the recipient supports.
It could be more rewarding than the traditional fruitcake.
According to the organizations’ web site, a survey of volunteerism in Lancaster County says that 167 agencies utilized over 175 thousand volunteers. That translates to over 2.5 million volunteer hours and a staggering dollar value of over $42 million.
Svoboda says there are three ways we can give.
“We can give money or stuff, blood or body parts or give our time,” he said.
Volunteer Partners has a web site (volunteerpartners.org) that students can go to for more information about the organization, but more importantly, it shows areas in where their skills are most needed.
During this time of year, helping the Salvation Army, The Red Cross or youth organizations could be very helpful.
But Svoboda suggests that students find organizations they are most concerned about and contact them first.
Lincoln-based Volunteer Partners is an organization that partners groups and or individuals to volunteer organizations in the Lancaster County community.
Svobada has been the organization’s director since the group’s inception more than 10 years ago.