web1_Ed-Margy-1.jpg

Business: Edward’s Garden Center much more than plants and trees

web1_mcmanus.jpg

Their view: Ten questions Congress should ask Robert Mueller (and how he might respond)

Do you want to know how to network, expand contacts, build rewarding and lasting friendships and become a recognizable figure in your community while having fun and not spend money?All of these things are possible by volunteering your time and helping others in a nonprofit organization, which makes a difference in the community. By volunteering your time in the community in which you live and work, you can network and create professional contacts who share a wealth of expertise and knowledge (Sandwell, V.C. (2015, May 28). Business professionals may gain new customers from networking and building relationships. These professional contacts can turn into and create lasting friendships.Besides expanding professional and creating new personal contacts, there are many other reasons that someone should donate their time to a community nonprofit organization. The main reason that someone should donate their time for a nonprofit organization is giving back to their community while making a difference in the lives of others. (Siddons, S 2009, June 3).Someone may join a nonprofit organization for a good cause, like honoring someone that they may have lost to a disease. Others may join a nonprofit, because they are devoted to the cause or are passionate about the organization (Siddons, S 2009, June 3). All of these reasons for someone to join a nonprofit organization helps to make a positive impact within their community. While someone may join a nonprofit because they are passionate about the organization, they may also want to have a sense of pride and build confidence. (Leanza, S 2016, December 16). By volunteering with an organization, a person may feel more significant within their self-worth because they achieved a sense of pride for belonging to a group and helping others who are less fortunate. According to the article of &#8220;5 Reasons Why You Should Volunteer,&#8221; studies have found that volunteers are healthier and live longer than those who don&#8217;t volunteer. Older volunteers tend to have a stronger psychological well-being and remain physically functional for longer. (Leanza, S 2016, December 16).Some of the reasons that volunteers are healthier is because when they donate their time for an organization it improves their mood, and helps them to combat depression. In the article, &#8220;5 Reasons Why You Should Volunteer&#8220;, it states that numerous studies have shown that there is a direct connection between volunteering and a lower rate of illness or depression. (Leanza, S 2016, December 16). When people join a nonprofit organization, it improves their mood, and helps them to combat depression because they feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from the work that they have done for the organization.The sense of accomplishment that people gain by volunteering is the ability to learn new skills that they might not had the chance to learn. An example of this would be that I learned how to hang drywall, spackle and sand, while volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity house that was being built. I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride because I was able to spackle and sand the walls at my own home and help friends.Volunteering also helps to transfer the skills that someone may already have or know. It also gives a person the ability to learn a new skill. An important skill that someone may use that they already have is their leadership skills within the organization. Other skills that someone may have that may help an organization is problem solving and teamwork. These are two skills that go together when volunteering and are important in an organization. Nonprofit organizations may lack these skills and need volunteers who have them or excel in them to help guide the organization forward in the right direction. Since some nonprofit organizations may lack funding for office staff or need board members, they may look for volunteers that have skills such as creative thinking and organization skills to assist them in everyday tasks that they may not have the funding for these items. Time management and interpersonal skills are important skills that volunteers can transfer from their daily lives into a non-profit organization. Interpersonal skills are important to use for interaction and communication with the other volunteers within an organization. These skills are something that someone has and cannot be taught while volunteering.Someone can volunteer for an organization in many different ways and can gain benefits while giving their time and helping the community. Volunteering is an important part of being in the community and knowing that there is someone who has benefited from your help. I encourage you to give a group of interest an evening, or a Saturday morning, and give it a try, the work will be infectious, and your community will reward you for it.There is plenty of work to be done for the local nonprofits!<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>Tracey WilliamsGuest Columnist</bylineMeta></div>

Their View: Volunteering can teach a valuable life lesson