Like Mother, Like Daughters

People often wonder—how do I promote volunteerism in my child? Another way to phrase this—how do I develop a heart for the community in my child? The difference—the heart connotes an internal change that will naturally produce the outward actions. Aiming to provide your child with volunteer opportunities will certainly influence the way they feel about their community. In the process though you need to make sure they truly care about what they are doing. Their community involvement is more likely to last into adulthood if this has been cultivated.

So how do you develop this heart? The old adage-children learn by example-is the key. Our marketing director, Liz Vibber has volunteered for numerous organizations. She assists with the school’s annual fundraiser, was instrumental in securing funding for new playground equipment for the school, and organizes the school’s after school club program. Is it any surprise that her daughters have started philanthropic endeavors of their own? Just this year, as part of a Brownie project, her 3rd grader wrote a note to the office to ask them to purchase candy to raise money to buy supplies for the local animal shelter. However, the candy wasn’t the typical box of fundraiser candy—it was her own Halloween candy. After raising the money and purchasing supplies, in good fundraising fashion, she wrote a thank you note “You are an angel to the animals”. Her other daughter, a 7th grader, approached the principal of their school with a friend. They wanted to start a reading program for the younger children at the elementary schools.

These are just two of several examples of the girls’ concern for their community. Why? Because of their mother’s example.