Wherever I'm Needed Most

This weekend was the kick off to Hands On San Diego and a great reminder of why I love working at Volunteer San Diego. At one of our first Hands On projects, a renovation of Adams Avenue Recreation Center, I was greeted by an enthusiastic bunch of volunteers. Some showed up because it was in their neighborhood and they wanted to help it look great; others participated because their law firm, McKenna, Long and Aldridge, had adopted the project as part of their commitment to community; still others enjoyed spending quality time together as family, joking and laughing as they gave benches a face lift with new paint. I was impressed by how many people said “just assign me to wherever I’m needed most.”

The weekend also showed me how diverse the experience of service can be. One of our volunteers, Sharky, shared an amusing story of volunteering with her daughter at Crafts for a Cause two years ago. While decorating cards for veterans, she jokingly donned a star sticker on her nose. Her daughter, unable to have piercings at work, suggested that mom get her nose pierced. Sporting a nose ring and energy drink on Saturday morning, Sharky, a very young 62 years old, relayed this experience and other examples of how she gives back to community through Volunteer San Diego and other organizations that need her.

On Sunday evening, a friend and colleague approached me to tell me how much volunteering impacted her roommate. Enduring a dark time in his life, he began to volunteer through Volunteer San Diego and has become active with a number of causes. As he brightened others’ lives in service, he found his own life brightened too.

I’m constantly humbled by the power of volunteering and what is possible – personally, professionally, and as community – when we join our talents with others. See you at Hands On San Diego!

Sue Carter, Executive Director
Volunteer San Diego