Stops at the Service Station

Day 29**Be Brave and Serve

Tomorrow will be the final day of this month long tour about service. Hopefully you've pondered a bit about the topic as I shared quotes, thoughts, and feelings. It's been a chance for me to discover what people of merit have said about the subject, and to evaluate my own life focus.

(sidebar) Did you know there were graduate programs in Philanthropy? Yep. Click here to check it out. www.naccouncil.org

(another sidebar) Think all billionaires are greedy louts? See what computer genius, Bill Gates and his wife Melinda think about service and volunteering at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. www.gatesfoundation.com

Today we're going to get down to the nitty gritty about service opportunities.

If you google the word volunteer, you'll come up with over a million sites to wander through. If that seems a little mind googling to you, narrow the search to the words: volunteer and the name of your state. Keep narrowing the search until you arrive at someplace close-to-home.

Following are some search sites which will also match you to volunteer opportunities in your area:
www.networkforgood.org
www.volunteermatch.org
www.handsonnetwork.org

You can also go to specific sites for: Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, United Way, and many many others.

Match your search to your area of interest or expertise. Example--if you go to one of the .org search sites above, they'll ask for a zip code and an area of interest. Say you're a computer person...type in mentoring, and the site will most likely take you to community centers or Boys and Girls Clubs in your area that need computer people to help teach young people, or the elderly, computer skills.

You can do the same for construction, medical, musical, language, reading...the list goes on and on. Do you love the outdoors? Your local state park's service site will offer volunteer opportunities to help in the parks. Love animals? Numerous chances exist to serve our four legged and feathered friends. You can even serve internationally if you want to go father afield.

If you want to stay closer to home, look around your neighborhood. Is there a nearby school, or hospital, or assisted living center that could use some extra help? Perhaps it's as simple as looking out your window and seeing a neighbor with needs. Sometimes it's looking within the walls of your own home.

Go on! Check out some service opportunities. Perhaps there's one custom fit to you!