I began volunteering when I was 25 at the Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Corvallis, OR. Next year, I will be 55! During the past 30 years, I have always volunteered (sometimes for two organizations at once). My last 5 years have included writing articles for the Eugene Saturday Market newsletter and being on the board. Most recently I have been the chair of the sustainability committee working with a small yet mighty team of staff and other members to bring back composting and durable dishware at our market. However, 2024 was my last year of volunteering. I am beginning a new phase of life and will use my time learning to illustrate and being a grandmother. So now that I have learned so much, I must share:
3 Life lessons from 30 Years of Volunteering:
1. Using your voice is a powerful choice. “There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” I love this quote from Michelle Obama because as a child that was bullied for my unique voice, speaking up and sharing my opinion used to be a challenge. However, after working on different teams as a volunteer, I learned that my ideas were not only important but sometimes essential for things to move forward. Which leads me to my next lesson learned.
2. Everyone has something to contribute. As a volunteer you often meet other passionate individuals with strong beliefs and/or opinions. Actually, their passion is usually why they are volunteering. So, needless to say, discussions can get heated, but it is usually because someone cares deeply about something. As humans though, we have to harness our fears and listen, accept and respect others. Have you ever been in a new place, feeling alone and a stranger walks by and smiles at you or says hi? If yes, didn’t that simple gesture give you something? I believe everyone can make a difference in some way.
3. Giving is a win/win. I will never forget the two years I volunteered with the Corvallis Family Table. Twice a month, we used a community center to serve a hot meal to go for anyone in need, no questions asked. The original idea was for families to have a meal together at home, but people without homes were also welcome and would come in. There was a period of my childhood in which I experienced neglect and went without food sometimes. However, through the kindness of my neighbors, I ate most nights. At the Corvallis Family Table, I was able to return this kindness. When people would thank me for the food, I always felt this huge swell of love and gratitude for being able to help them.
I wrote this article as a farewell to volunteering and as a way to encourage you to consider volunteering. My market community provides many different ways to do this, so maybe your community does too. I truly believe that helping others (with others) is something you probably won’t regret during the end of your days.