I would venture to say that I am some sort of a professional volunteer. I have donated my time, skills and money for all kinds of non-profits and traveled the world as far as Fiji teaching English, building houses, being a mentor, a medical assistant, a translator, a graphic designer, a videographer, an electrician, a receptionist… well, you name it. I have done it all. In the last three months. I have been donating my time, talents, resources and connections as the entertainment coordinator for an organization that helps veterans in the healing process with art therapy and art classes called Veterans Art Center of Tampa Bay. Yesterday was the Grand Opening event and I was in charge of the performances and recording the event and as the rest of the volunteers, my duties also included cleaning up, setting up, hanging up art, moving tables and chairs. I was already exhausted when I showed up for the event on Saturday at 8:30 am. But I knew this was a worthy cause so I just kept on going. By the time it was 5 pm, my feet were numb, I was dehydrated, didn’t really have a proper lunch, in a nutshell, I was moving on autopilot. But then, I asked Kayla Korpics for a short interview and she gave me a preview of her performance. When she started singing I just forgot about everything. Her singing was amazing (the video you are watching). I looked at my fellow volunteers and my energy level was recharged. The event ended at 8 pm and afterward, a group of us went to celebrate because the event was a success. This morning, once I was half-recovered, a question popped into my head. Why do I volunteer? I am glad it did because it has made me aware of the five reasons why I choose to be a volunteer, reasons that perhaps others have not talked to you about:

1. You become the voice of the people or cause you are helping

Not for profit organizations are about pleading for a cause. By being a volunteer, you get to know intricately the reasons why the organization is asking for help. I became a volunteer for VACTB when I heard that the rate of suicide among veterans is 20 per day. I have the upmost respect for people who give service to this country. It is because of them that we walk and talk freely in this beautiful land I called home. If our vets need help, I am more than happy to become their voice to ask for support in any way I can because they have fought for my freedom.

2. You learn about networking

At a non-profit organization you will find all kinds of people coming from different paths of life. When volunteering, you have the flexibility to talk to people whom otherwise; you would never meet. Making connections and talking to others about what you do and asking others about the same can lead you to your next job, to your next relationship or to your new passion in life.

3. It serves as a compass if you are not sure what you want to do in life

For a while after High School, I wondered if I wanted to be a teacher. I love teaching. By volunteering my time teaching, training, coaching and mentoring, I discovered that training was what I wanted to do. It was personal, direct, focused with a short-term goal and I had the opportunity to grow with the people I was helping.

4. It teaches you to have a vision for the cause and pursue it passionately

To a certain extent, volunteering may be hard work and the words “thank you” may not fulfill the expectation that you had when you started volunteering. A non-profit organization gives you a vision. As a volunteer, that vision is all it matters because it will fulfill your passion to complete the job at hand. It will also make you feel like you made a difference in the world and in the life of the people you are helping. When you volunteer, become aware of the vision of the organization and infuse it with your passion to make the best out of it.

5. Volunteering is a spiritual experience

I didn’t realize in my early days of volunteering that when a group of people come together, they fuse their emotions, efforts and vision to help others and by doing so, a strong bond develops between them. This bond is nothing short of a spiritual experience called ‘love.’ It is the spirit of love that feeds your kindness and desire to help others. We may call this action ‘caring.’ And caring for our brother or sister is indeed planting seeds of LOVE that someday will come back to you when you need it the most.

6. Bonus Reason

I get to meet celebrities like Kayla Korpics, a beautiful 18-year old indie-pop singer, song-writer and musician. She began writing music at the age of 13 as a way of coping with being bullied. She is an awesome example of a person with a heavenly gift and a heart of gold donating her talent and time. I met her at the event and my heart skipped a beat when I heard her sing. She is a rising star who supports local causes. Give her your support by attending her local performances. Also, her new album release is coming up, so do not miss it. To learn more go to - www.kaylakorpics.com

Being a volunteer in the past three months has allowed me to find this amazing group of people whom I call now my friends. They have grounded me in this town where I still felt a stranger after being here for two years. They are passionate human beings, full of integrity and good energy. They deserve a ‘shout out’ for making a difference in the life of many vets. Here’s a list of some of them:

Patricia Hardwick; Christie Austin Christenson; Michelle Thomann-Ramirez; Yolanda Mercado; Saori Murphy; Lola Austin; Benjamin Smet; Larry Busby; John McKitrick; Frank DeCrisofaro; David Gulino; Scott McGowen and his wife; Margo Christie and her husband; Debbie Bedrick; Dr. Donald Houston; Jeanine Ashforth; Marianna Jensen; Donald Jensen; Yanice Rodriguez; Jean Pierre Arroyo, Scott Macksam and many more. Thank you all for enriching my life.