This week’s paper features a number of wonderful volunteer opportunities to give back to the community in a variety of ways.
There are outdoor citizen science projects, outdoor educational opportunities, chances to help visitors to the community learn about Pagosa Country’s past and introduce them to aspects of the present, chances to help elementary kiddos succeed academically, opportunities to help raise funds for community organizations and awareness of topics such as sexual assault, chances to help coordinate other volunteers and help with the community’s food network, and more.
And what’s in this week’s SUN and PREVIEW only scratch the surface of the countless volunteer opportunities this community offers.
When people say this community runs on volunteers they’re certainly not exaggerating — the opportunities here are robust.
If you’ve been considering ways to give back to the community but have been on the fence, or if you’re looking for ways for you and your family to volunteer over the summer, now might be a great chance to jump in and learn more.
Volunteering also comes with a number of benefits both for you and the organization you choose to help.
We personally love what we get out of volunteering and can vouch for the benefits we can easily name off: meeting fascinating people we might not have otherwise crossed paths with, learning new information and skills, stepping outside of our comfort zone, and so much more.
And research backs that up.
According to the Mayo Clinic, research “has shown that volunteering offers significant health benefits.”
Some of those benefits, it outlines, include:
• Improved physical and mental health. The organization notes volunteer activities “keep people moving and thinking at the same time.”
• It adds, “Research has found that volunteering among adults, age 60 and over, provided benefits to physical and mental health. Volunteers report better physical health than nonvolunteers. Research also has shown that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression and anxiety, especially for people 65 and older.”
• It can also reduce stress and increase positive, relaxed feelings, as well as helping to feel a sense of meaning and appreciation (both given and received), which can help reduce stress. We all know reduced stress is good for our health.
• Providing a sense of purpose and teaching valuable skills. The Mayo Clinic notes, “The work that volunteers provide is essential to everyday activities, giving volunteers a sense of purpose, especially when giving their time and talent in the areas they find meaningful. Older volunteers experience greater increases in life satisfaction and self-esteem.”
• Nurturing new and existing relationships. Volunteering can increase social interaction and help build a support system based on common interests, the Mayo Clinic notes, and one of the best ways to make new friendships and strengthen existing relationships is to participate in a shared activity. The opportunities can also help you expand your social networks.
And everyone who steps in to help volunteer, even in a small way or for a short amount of time, makes a huge difference for our community.
If you volunteer, thank you. No matter how insignificant you think your contribution may be, it is helping to enrich the community for everybody who calls this slice of beauty home and all those who visit here.
Randi Pierce
