National Volunteer Month takes place throughout April to honor the significant impact of volunteers and encourage community service. VISTE takes this opportunity to celebrate during our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. So, to quote Robert Orben.
“Here’s to all volunteers, those dedicated people who believe in all work and no pay.”
My mother modeled the volunteer spirit for me as post-retirement were some of the most joyful and meaningful years of her life. Motivated by her deep faith and a servant’s heart, my mom was actively engaged in more than a dozen professional, social, and church groups. She volunteered with the Retired Teachers Association, tennis and golf leagues, and multiple church activities, including bringing communion to the “old people” in nursing homes. She told me that most of the people she visited were younger than her. When I asked why she referred to them as “old people” she quickly replied, “because they’re living in a nursing home.”
My mom understood intuitively that “no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted” (Aesop). It was also her life of service that motivated me to become more engaged in my own community through volunteerism and public service. Ironically, it was her sudden need for assistance after living in her own home until the age of 91 that led me to volunteer with VISTE. What a privilege it is to lead an organization whose sole mission is to help elderly persons remain safely and independently in their own homes.
While there are many universal traits common to all volunteers (compassion, kindness, and a willingness to help others, etc.), every individual also possesses their own unique talents and skills, their own Superpower. In the words of Pablo Picasso, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” For many of us these gifts seem small or insignificant. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” (Leo Buscaglia) What’s your Superpower?
Thank You for your selfless acts of service and setting an example for others, especially young people, so that the spirit of volunteerism continues to be cultivated and nurtured for generations to come.
Remember –
“Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person.” (Unknown)
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” (Dr. Seuss)
On behalf of the nearly 5,000 elderly clients, THANK YOU for your service!
With gratitude,
