THEY’RE the invisible army of big-hearted helpers that fill the gaps left by government departments and others.
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There’s no doubt our volunteers, fuelled by compassion and commitment, help bind our community together.
Where would we be without our service clubs, our sporting coaches, our hospital auxiliary ladies?
Managing increasingly frenetic lives with family and job responsibilities doesn’t stop this legion of helpers somehow finding time to be concerned about others.
Volunteerism is, quite simply, the basis of a civilised society.
And Tamworth, a community as connected as any in the nation, is blessed with an abundance of them.
We should thank these unsung heroes every day but most of all today – International Volunteer Day.
It is not trite to say volunteerism shows there is more good in the community than the breakdowns and struggles in society might have us believe.
While about one in three of us donate our time to a cause, today should also highlight that two in three of us don’t.
Sharing a link on Facebook or retweeting it – a practice known as “slacktivism” – does not constitute volunteering.
It begs the question – if you have the passion and energy to fire salvos from behind a keyboard, then why don’t you use it to help solve the problem you’re taking such glee in pointing out?
True volunteering is finding a deeper connection with your community, committing your energy to a cause for purely altruistic reasons.
And there’s never been a more important time to jump on board.
The ageing population and a shift in values means our volunteer base is thinning by the day.
The challenge confronting many organisations is how to find the next generation of volunteers.
You can blame the hectic pace of modern life or our obsession with material wealth.
But whatever the reason, those unwilling to volunteer are missing out on one of life’s secrets to self-worth – helping others.
Time might be valuable, but volunteering is invaluable.
