Volunteering has its benefits

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Volunteers can be hard to come by.

In today's busy world, so many things are vying for people's attention, whether it be their jobs, their children or other activities.

Add in health concerns due to a pandemic and that leaves a lack of volunteers for a number of organizations.

According to an article from the Stanford Center on Longevity, research has shown that more than 90% of people want to volunteer, but only one out of four Americans actually do.

There are three common reasons why:

• Not enough free time and the volunteer schedules are too inflexible

• Not enough information and most volunteer roles aren't interesting

• No one asked

It's a challenge for organizations across the country and right here in Washington County to find those volunteers who are committed to helping.

While the MCH Auxiliary has a strong 40-50 volunteer base, Leslie Watts, president of the Auxiliary Board of Directors, said the organization still faces the challenges of finding assistance during events.

Often times, the Auxiliary seems to call on the same volunteers.

“I call it the 'aging out' process where some people that have been doing this for 40 years are not able to help anymore, and to replace them is the challenge because the younger people are involved in so much more,” Watts said.

In a series of stories over the next couple of months, the Washington County Pilot-Tribune and Enterprise will feature area organizations that facing similar challenges, including youth sports teams, TeamMates and fire departments.

The series will focus on the challenges and how they're overcoming them. But it's also meant to draw interest and encourage residents to volunteer.

Volunteering for an organization can be a rewarding experience. Not only can you help others, but you meet new people, become part of a community, learn new skills and feel good about yourself.

Make the time and please consider volunteering.