What does it mean to volunteer and to be a volunteer? How does it help you and your community? I often like to look up words that we use all the time, in the dictionary, to see what their literal meaning is, and found this:

"Volunteer", the verb, means to offer or enter into service by choice. "Volunteer", the noun, is a person who freely offers to do service.

So I ask our readers..…How often is it your choice to freely offer to do a service? Recently I attended a ceremony rewarding Eagle Scout Status to Eric Rakoczy and Matt Helner, both Penncrest Seniors. As part of the ceremony, the new Eagle Scouts needed to take an additional pledge, which challenged them to live their lives with the following values…honor, loyalty, courage, cheerfulness and service. The Boy Scouts of America challenge these Eagle Scouts to live by these values so that they can be positive role models and leaders in their communities. It struck me how many volunteers and their devoted hours it took to create the opportunity for these two young men to become Eagle Scouts. It also was impressive to see the very strong relationships that had been formed among the troop members as well as with the leaders of the troop. These personal bonds will last a lifetime and I don't think any of the volunteers had any regrets over the time they gave.

Why am I telling this story and how does it relate to the topic of volunteering? Without the volunteers who lead this troop, there would be no Boy Scouts of America, Troop #85. That means the young men in this troop would not have had the opportunity to build these lifetime relationships with troop members and leaders. It also means that they might never have had the chance to develop their leadership skills and to see how they can impact a community in a positive way by using their talents and gifts to provide a service. By these young men having had this opportunity, research and statistics tell us that there is a very good chance they will grow up to be leaders. They will also volunteer in their communities and be strong role models for youth. They will indeed pay forward the benefits they enjoyed.

So, how does volunteering help you and the Community? It gives you an opportunity to be connected to others with the same interests and passions. You get to build relationships that last a lifetime and have a positive impact on another human life by providing opportunities that individuals might otherwise never have. You have the chance to be a role model for what effective leadership is really all about, which is serving the needs of others. And you get to experience the wonderful feelings you have when you open with anticipation, an envelope you have received in the mail to find it is a note from your favorite Eagle Scout thanking you for being a part of his life. Need I say more?

Healthy Communities Initiative, Inc. otherwise known as HCI, needs volunteers to help with many programs we have in place and to achieve goals that will have an impact on helping kids make healthier choices, so they grow up to be healthy, caring and responsible adults who are leaders in the community. If you have been looking for a way to make a difference that is rewarding and fun but maybe not found the right fit yet…check us out at www.hci-rtm.org. or call 610-891-6286. We need you to volunteer and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Dana L. Riker HCI Board President President and Founder of Solutions 4 Your Success! Inc.