We all appreciate the work of volunteers. Without them, there would be no food banks or homeless shelters, no extracurricular sports teams or youth programs, no agricutlural fairs or summer festivals, no rural fire departments, no crime watch groups, no arts clubs and no service organizations.
This is by no means a complete list of all the things that volunteers do, just in a small town like ours.
It’s been said, however, that Barrhead has a very healthy volunteer community even by the standards of most rural towns. We have heard that there are more than 120 volunteer organizations in Barrhead and surrounding area, contributing literally thousands of hours to various causes.
It’s natural to want to recognize volunteers for the work they do, which is why we have events like National Volunteer Week. Though we’re certainly not the only community to do this, Barrhead goes a step further by hosting an annual volunteer appreciation event every April where we recognize the most dedicated volunteers among us.
If you turn to Page 11B, you can read a story about how nominations have just opened for the volunteer appreciation awards. The forms are now out in the community, and the organizing committee is asking Barrhead and area residents to put forward some nominations.
Even though this happens every year, it’s necessary to put that call out due to the natural reluctance of volunteers to be recognized.
It’s somewhat of a conundrum; we want to celebrate volunteerism, but the volunteers themselves often want to avoid the spotlight, because they don’t do what they do for trophies and perhaps feel they aren’t deserving.
Ironically, if you ARE eager to have your volunteerism recognized, people might regard that as boastful and decide you’re underserving.
It’s an odd contradiction, isn’t it? We want to award volunteers, but they don’t want be awarded, and if they do, then we think they shouldn’t be. It’s almost hypocritical, in a way.
But maybe the purpose of volunteer awards shouldn’t be about recognition. Rather, it should be about inspiration — encouraging others to make their own volunteer contributions.
It’s often said that, despite technology eliminating many of the menial tasks that consumed our waking hours, we’re now busier than ever. Thus, many people don’t feel inclined to give up their precious free time to dedicate to a charity or a cause. It’s not selfishness so much as it is exhaustion.
But when you’re reading about this person or that devoting dozens of hours to planting trees or caring for stray animals or helping the homeless, it can serve to overcome that reluctance.
For that reason, we really urge you to give some consideration to nominating someone for the volunteer appreciation awards this April.
Because you’re not just doing it for them; you’re doing it for all the people who need that bit of extra inspiration to break through the hustle and bustle of modern life and give a helping hand.
