By the Clearfield County Volunteer Center
Volunteers inspire by example and make our community a better place to live and work. These unsung heroes are the fabric of our communities and our country.
During National Volunteer Week, April 6-13, dedicated men, women, and young people in Clearfield County, and millions of others in communities throughout the nation, will be honored for their commitment to service.
This year’s National Volunteer Week theme, “Celebrate Service,” sets the stage for national, regional and local organizations to applaud the efforts of volunteers, as well as encourages others to help strengthen their communities through service. The Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network sponsor the weeklong event to spotlight people who have made a difference in their community.
Volunteering isn’t simply a nice thing to do, but it is a necessity. What would our lives, our communities, and our country look like without people from all walks of life volunteering? -Volunteers are businesses, faith-based organizations, low-income communities, families, youth, and older adults like those that volunteer in this county through the Volunteer Center. They unleash their power of compassion to serve as helping hands to those in need.
Everywhere you look there are volunteers. There are hundreds of firemen and women who volunteer their time by directing traffic at accidents or fighting fires. Many people volunteer as emergency medical personnel, work in food banks, or check in on the home bound elderly in our county. They do not hesitate to think about the weather or the time of day, they only know a neighbor needs their help.
People like the person next door that take a sick neighbor a pot of soup when they’re under the weather, shovel a walk for an elderly man up the street, or help in a mentoring program like the Salvation Army or the Literacy Council are all volunteers. The list goes on and on . . . like all those who help at blood drives, phone a shut–in to make their day special, or the countless volunteers who have worked with youth in sports and scouting programs.
In our resent ice and snow storms, there were several emergency personnel who volunteered to help people in distress. These are the people who, for the past 200 years, have dedicated their time and made Clearfield County a special place to live.
Volunteers are one of Clearfield County’s most valuable recourses. The service provided by these individuals impacts the communities in which we live. It is also the most enduring method of meeting challenges faced by people every day. When we take the time to give back to the people living in our towns and neighborhoods, we build a stronger community.
During National Volunteer Week, join the chorus of gratitude for the unsung heroes in our community and celebrate their service by taking time to thank a volunteer that you know has made a difference. Let’s make a special effort to let the volunteers in Clearfield County know how much they are appreciated.
Programs and services of the agency are funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging Inc., Mature Resources Foundation and local and consumer contributions.
