Articles

Serving Our Communities

Jana M. Kemp

“Enjoy the joy of giving, no matter what the scale,” said William Gates Senior at the May annual meeting of the Idaho Community Foundation. “Define what both what you will and will not give to so that you can focus your attentions,” encouraged Gates.

Have you clearly defined what you personally will give time and money to? Has your organization focused its community giving efforts? If so, terrific and thank you. If not, get focused so that your invested time and resources reward you rather than deplete you.

Charitable giving of time and of money helps communities and people to be all the good things they can be. Schools are now often including community service projects and hours as a part of graduation requirements. Business people joining together in service organizations are benefiting us locally and globally.

For instance, Mayor Flowers of Parma and I met in Sun Valley last weekend when the District 5400 Rotary Conference was meeting at the same time as his District 39 Lions Club Conference. Both groups are serving Idaho and the world, with a focus on different areas. The Lions are largely known for their work to improve eyesight. Rotary is largely known for its global work to eliminate Polio from the world scene. Mayor Flowers contacted me to invite an Idaho partnership of Rotary and the Lions clubs to achieve the purchase and installation of a Retinal Camera for St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital.

Get up, get going and get involved. Here are some of the organizations and ways you can get involved: volunteer at the library, at a school, or in a nursing home; join Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Optimist, Soroptimist, the Chamber or another civic organization; volunteer through your religious group; run for an elected office; become a scout or 4-H leader; or form a task-team that completes one activity and then disbands. The opportunities are nearly endless and the rewards of giving are many.

Across the Treasure Valley, a few people are so involved that they rarely have time to relax or to enjoy quiet time with family members. If this sounds like you, start protecting time for yourself. A worn out volunteer can stand in the way of personal enjoyment and of organizational accomplishments. Find your personal focus and be sure that when you say “yes” you are following through and that when “no thank you” is the best answer you say that too.

Action Plan: Get involved in the volunteer causes that feed your soul and that connect you to the community. Encourage participation of co-workers, students, and friends in community service. Others will benefit and you’ll all be rewarded.
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Reprint Permission: The author is willing to grant reprint permissions. Please contact Jana Kemp: jana@janakemp.com or call 208-367-1701.