Volunteer for a cause
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Sometimes the simple things like taking a few hours out of your day to brighten someone else’s had a greater impact than you can imagine.
Take the Rotary Club of Picayune’s annual Christmas Basket Program that helps about 100 people by providing them with food for the holidays.
Or you can also see the efforts of the local chapter of the Civic Women’s Club Juniorette Diamonds, a group made up of young women who attend grades from seventh to 12th. They donated snacks to children in need, socks to women and children who were the victim of domestic violence and wrote Christmas letters to senior citizens living in a nursing home.
This time of year is when many groups and clubs become involved in various opportunities to help the community. But seldom do we see people of younger age groups become involved in volunteer efforts to provide a community service.
That includes the efforts put forth by the Rotary Club of Picayune because young people played a large role in the distribution of those gifts.
Rotary Club of Picayune co-chair Suzan Wilson said Picayune Memorial High School cheerleaders and the members of the Lady Tide softball helped to set up the distribution effort and high school students donated all of the canned goods put in the Christmas baskets.
I have volunteered for various organizations while attending high school and college but I never realized the impact I had on my community by simply giving them a few hours of my day, until now.
When I did volunteer, I only cared about spending time with my friends and not much else. But Tuesday morning, I saw individuals pick up their Christmas basket and got a chance to see the look on their face when the Christmas basket was put into their vehicle; their expression could only be described as gratitude.
It was then that I realize that if it wasn’t for the students’ donations and their contribution of time to help with the distribution, none of it would had been possible.
Even though many of us can’t find the time to volunteer, let’s do our part and help bring happiness to others.
