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MISS TEEN AMERICA'S ISSUE OF CONCERN
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Volunteerism Makes
the World Go Around
by Kaitlyn Tarpey
Do you remember your little league coach, or your Girl Scout leader, or the volunteer firefighter who saved your friend's house? These people contributed to their society by volunteering. It is hard to recognize how important a volunteer position is unless you witness the job yourself. Because I have been exposed to all different types of community service and volunteer positions, I have recognized the importance of the parts to a whole. Volunteers are the reason societies prosper.
Think of a soccer team without a coach, a goalie, or a captain. A team is not a team without all of its members. Each person contributes to the whole. A strong community is built on inclusiveness: from the elderly to the toddlers, everyone and everything has a role. Individual connectionscreate a society and without the webbing of people, disregarding age, sex, or class, it cannot be its best.
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The message that I have preached throughout my community for the past five years is that donating your time to a cause not only gives you a good feeling inside but also can touch someone dearly. Volunteerism allows a society to prosper. It also has no limitations. I have found it very fulfilling to put others before myself and to sacrifice time for a cause that interests me. I could not single out an organization to work with, therefore I've gotten to support many different groups. It is nice to know that I am the cause of a smile at a nursing home, the inspiration to read at a city library, and a fed stomach at a soup kitchen. I've enjoyed being able to make a difference through a Kids in Crisis office, the Global Warming organization RelightNY, my church, Red Cross, Project Green, Princess and the Prom, book drives, cancer benefits and my local soccer club. Because of my decision to support volunteerism, I have been able to touch all different groups of people with varied interests, like myself.
Recently a daughter of an elderly patient at the nearby nursing home recognized me in the supermarket. She approached me and thanked me for the entertainment I supplied with my Irish Dancing. It was at that moment that I realized volunteer work makes a difference in peopole's lives.
My hope is to encourage American teenagers to find something they find interesting and vol-unteer. I hope teens realize that their community can flourish from their energy and that volunteering really does make a difference. Volunteerism is often touted as an important component of the social web and as something that develops character in the volunteer while helping the community at large. I believe teenagers can build their character and bridge the gaps in society by stepping out of their comfort zones and venturing into the world of community service. I am already part of the team and I hope teens realize they can join me in this game and step onto the field to volunteer.
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