Charitable Giving: Community Service

"I am required to give 30 hours of service each year to my community in order to gain credit toward my high school graduation. Does this diminish my altruistic motivation because it is now required of me?"

"The Red Cross drive was held at school today. I was overwhelmed, but I also felt empowered. I was hoping that there would be a reason that I couldn’t give blood. But I met the age, weight, and health requirements. My cousin was/is risking his life overseas and so I did it. I like the idea and the fact that I am giving."

"He was to read a children’s story to kids who were having trouble focusing. He brought them his own primer story-book which clearly displayed the difficulty he had as a kindergartner, trying to master the alphabet as a child with an attention deficit disorder and a severe visual challenge. As he shared his three-dimensional, family generated alphabet book, the classroom came alive with joy and gratitude."

We can make a difference. The palpable difference in the perception of us as girls/young women is that when we give, we get.

In the radio press conference last week, President Bush talked about the importance of volunteerism. He quoted the number of Americans who had donated their time in the past year to aid their fellow Americans. He asked for more participants and more hours for the coming years. I wonder if people know how much Beth and her classmates with the help of the Red Cross in our gym, enriched our lives? I am confident that Josh, with his sharing and animated reading of his A-B-C book in a special needs class brought clarity and truth to a group of challenged five-year olds.

When Colin taught Andre, who is without sight, a magical wrestling move, he was not counted in anyone’s statistics, yet he certainly counted.

Question: What matters most to you about the concept of community service? Whose community is at stake and what assessments are necessary? In what way is political participation community service?

Listen: How do peers feel about active participation in change, whether it be a hospice league, a political agenda, or a student exchange program? Is political action a kind of community service? Why do some people help the helpless in their local community but not vote or support candidates who can help millions?

Form an opinion. Although listening to multiple voices is inspiring, we must form opinions true to us.

Act: We cannot be complacent if we do not "carpe diem."

Posted on: 12/28/2003

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