Headline News

The day after my last post extolling the benefits of volunteering I was thrilled to see the front page headline in our local paper The Intelligencer—Locals Touch Lives a World Away.

Following was a series of four articles that profiled four area residents who traveled to different countries to help AIDS orphans, provide cleft palate surgery through Operation Smile, teach at a school in Tanzania, and work in Japan’s rural countryside. The articles were full of inspiring messages that will hopefully encourage readers to volunteer locally and overseas.

There were great quotes like this one from 23 year old Lisa Talley who taught in a Tanzanian school—

This changes your opinion of people, life, everything….Volunteering is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.

And this one from Barbara Kroberger of Jamison, who worked with AIDS orphans in Uganda—

Sometimes it is just one child at a time, but we all can do something.

I know that I’m “preaching to the choir” here. Most people reading non profit blogs are already enthusiastic about volunteering. But how can we spread this energy? Frequent feature articles like this in local newspapers publicize the rewards of community service. Thanks and kudos to the Intelligencer for making this “Headline News”.