Eric Ehst, Executive Director
America is known as the land of the rugged individualist. We think of our nation as having been built by intrepid pioneers, prospectors, inventors, and entrepreneurs. But that’s only half the story. Where would we be without the Minutemen who volunteered to help win our freedom, the neighbors who gathered for the barn raisings, the volunteer firefighters who save lives? Even that rugged loner Wild Bill Hickok wouldn’t have been quite as wild without the volunteer posse at his back.
But, again, that’s only part of the story. Most volunteering isn’t as hard, dangerous, or exciting as those examples. I’ll bet you’re a volunteer even if you don’t do any of those things; even if you don’t already volunteer for Neighbors Who Care, the Lions, Rotary, or any other organized group. You volunteer every time you hold the door for someone carrying a load of packages, every time you take soup to a sick neighbor, each piece of trash you bend over to pick up off the sidewalk.
When you look at the big picture, our society would be a pretty sad, lonely, Dickensian place without all of the little volunteer acts we perform every day. Every act of kindness, every expression of selflessness makes our world a little better, and not just for the people we help. Numerous scientific studies show that people who volunteer are happier, healthier, and even live longer. I see it in the faces of Neighbors Who Care volunteers every day.
Here’s the pitch. Neighbors Who Care wants to help you reduce stress, get some exercise, get out of the house, fill those vacant hours, and just feel good about yourself. We have a roster of 1200 of your homebound, disabled, and frail friends, relatives, and neighbors just waiting for you to lend a hand. They are friendly, have interesting stories to tell, are enormously grateful, and can’t continue to lead independent lives in their own homes without your help.
We’ve already established that you’re a volunteer at heart. Come volunteer for us and get credit for your great work. We offer many different volunteer opportunities to meet your needs and talents, flexible hours, and no minimum commitment. You have our money-back guarantee that you’ll impress your friends, amaze your kids, take years off your age, and feel like Mother Theresa. I know you’re already a closet “neighbor who cares.” Come join our 500 other volunteers and make it official.
To take up this challenge or if you know of someone who needs our help, contact us at 480-895-7133,
www.neighborswhocare.com.