127. Volunteer Services

            Something that rally makes me proud to be an American is the way we care for each other through volunteer organizations. Yesterday on a bus trip with students we drove by two homes in town and my fellow chaperone said, “I helped build those houses.” Our local teacher’s union had volunteered its services to the Habitat for Humanity of the Palouse for help toward building two homes for families who were in need of homes.

            You can drive down the highways of most states and see road signs of family names or local organizations that volunteer their time to pick up trash along the roadside. The local food bank here in my community was started years ago by a young man working toward his Eagle Scout badge. The baton for care of the bank was passed to the local churches and now a completely volunteer board operates the local food bank for people who are struggling to make ends meet. Most of these organizations are made up of people who see needs that they know can be met not by individuals, but by groups of people who can volunteer their time and resources on occasion so that the community can feel the burdens of life being lifted by others. This willingness to help out others gives me great pride in my friends and neighbors and it spurs me on to do my part as well.

            I also appreciate the fact that these organizations are able to get political when necessary to find public funds through their local governments. Much of our country does not get taken care of at all by our government (in fact, more often than not, our government impedes our communities) but by our willingness to help each other out either individually or by volunteer associations. This is a part of America that makes me especially proud.