I have a theory. I believe many of us would volunteer more of our time to non-profit agencies, more of us would give back to our communities if it was easier to do. Now I know some of you will say that if it was worth it, we would make the time. And that might be true as well.
There is, arguably, a special challenge when you are trying to find kid-friendly volunteering opportunities. I was lucky enough to find at least two in the Joliet area and I met a mom on Friday night who gave me some ideas for more.
Last year in July, my kids and I volunteered to hand water to runners in the Joliet Park District Sundowner 5K. Hand water might be the wrong description to the experience, which was more like holding out water to participants as they run past you, not slowing down a bit. It was a good volunteering opportunity for my two boys, who are in grade and middle school. It was outside, so they had time to run about before the race began and there was plenty to hold their attention once the race began. Then, at the end, there was a picnic and the volunteers each got dinner. That opportunity happens every year in July.
This year, on Friday night, the kids and I gave time to decorate shipping boxes that will hold holiday gifts shipped to service members this coming November. The volunteering opportunity was provided by Operation Care Package and took place at the Will County Extension Office in Joliet.
It was there that I met Lisa Simpson of Manhattan. She brought her two boys, who were in the same age group as mine, to volunteer. She found out about the event through 4H, which her boys are very involved in.
"We've decorated boxes in the past," she said. " We've come to volunteer at the warehouse.
"My husband and I talked to (the boys) about doing this and supporting the troops."
She wants her boys to grow up being active members of their communities.
"(Volunteer) as much as possible so you can instill in your children the importance of volunteering," she said. "I just think it's important to go out as a family."
Simpson finds out about many opportunities through 4H and Boy Scouts, both of which the boys are involved in. But we are wondering how the rest of you find out about volunteering.
So we turn to our readers. Where do you go to volunteer? And do you have placed where you volunteer your time that is good for children as well?
Leave a comment on this story with the information.
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