A letter to my favorite volunteers.

Today begins the week we celebrate our volunteers in the United States. While there are plenty of volunteers that I work with between many organizations, I really just wanted to lift up some of my favorite volunteers.



Mom and Dad,

Dad's Lifetime Service Award
last spring for SERTOMA

You both have taught me so many valuable things in life (there's always room for ice cream because it melts around the edges of all of the other food in your stomach/shoes are beautiful...buy all of them--yes, Mom, you can make fun of me all you want, but I know I got my shoe obsession from you), but the imperative to volunteer and to be part of the community is one of the most important things you have taught me. You have practically engrained it in my DNA since the very beginning. Heck, my very first service organization (Sertoma) meeting was when I was just days old.

Your volunteering has taken different forms over the years and the list of organizations you've been part of (and individuals you have assisted) is too long for this post---not to mention the fact that I don't even know the comprehensive list. You were never flashy and boastful about it, but I want you to know that I've been watching and learning from your example.

Thank you for modeling great leadership skills and working to teach others the same. Thank you for teaching me to be part of the community. Thank you for cultivating the belief that I should give and not expect anything in return. 

Some of my favorite memories are handing out chips and cookies to the football players at the 8 Man Sertoma All-Star Football BBQs and all of the trips to Regional and Int'l Conventions to see Tim, Pat, Eunice, Dale, Tom, Sheila, Paula, Brownie, and the rest of the gang (I also have fond memories of going to see Mickey while you went to boring meetings!). Memories of playing hide and seek in a dark church and learning where all the Sunday school teachers kept snack jars I could eat out of while Mom was in choir--okay, so maybe I didn't learn only good things while you volunteered....

My life would be vastly different, and much less rich, without volunteer experiences. I know that I would not be where I am now and would not be doing the exciting things that I get to do without the example you have set for me.

So this week, and every week, I celebrate all that you have taught and modeled for me.

Thanks and love you forever and always,
Jen-Ben