The Payoff of Volunteer Work

As a child, my parents always told me "never volunteer". I learned that this was an old army slogan. When I became a young adult, I heard my friends say "I don't work for free", when I would ask them to go with me on one of my charity stints. But, although volunteering to do charity work isn't a way to make a living, the payoff is worth so much more than money.

For instance, volunteer work can be an investment in the future if you are in middle or high school. Unpaid volunteer work or internship looks great on a college application. And, if you are applying to a specialized program, volunteer work in the field in wihch you are interested in working, is a big plus! For example, if you are trying to get accepted to a pre-med program, volunteer work in a hospital can give you the edge over the competition. If you are planning to study theater arts, you should work with a local community theater if you want to strengthen your application to a competitive university's drama department. And if you need an audition to gain acceptance, there is no better training ground than community theater. Unlike high school drama, community theater gives the opportunity to work with actors of all ages and backgrounds.

But even if your volunteer work doesn't prepare you for any specialized field, or even if you are not using it for a college application, it gives you so much more. Giving your time to a worthy cause makes you feel so good that you are helping those less fortunate. One spring, I worked at the Gay Men's Health Crisis in New York City, calling people to sign them up for the annual AIDS Walk. The AIDS Walks happen all over the country, and raise millions of dollars to help people living with HIV. Not only was it fun to talk to all kinds of people, but the camaraderie around the phone bank was incredibly energizing! And, besides having all the free soda and iced-tea we wanted, at 8pm every night a local bakery brought boxes of donuts and pastries for us to snack on!

And, socially, charity work can offer fun, and the opportunity to meet good, generous people. Some of my best friendships came out of my work with an animal rescue group. And, the AIDS Walk and the Walk to D'Feet ALS give me a wonderful day in a beautiful park, and lots of exercise! Some of the nicest men I have ever dated were those I met while volunteering for charity. Yes, it's true! You can find love while servicing the community.

So if you find yourself in a rut, and don't know where else to go, when it seems as if you have exhausted all means of expanding your social circle, try "working for free". The payoff might be worth a million bucks. Oh, and I forgot another perk. I will tell you about my most memorable volunteer event. I decided to volunteer at an event sponsored by a charity that raises money for children with AIDS. The event, called "Cooks for Kids", involved chefs of some of the best restaurants in New York City cooking their signature dishes. Attendees could sample hundreds of dishes cooked by renowned chefs, some of whom you have seen on major talk shows and the Food Network. People paid $200 a ticket to gain admittance, but we volunteers who helped plan the event got in for free and ate food that was served in restaurants we could never afford to patronize. But the food was served by well-known newscasters. The high point of the evening was when I turned a corner and clumsily bumped into someone, spilling my plate on the floor. Afraid that I had soiled the suit of the man whose body collided with mine, I said "Oh, I am so sorry!" "That's okay. You didn't get me" replied a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. I looked up to see who it was, and I gulped. I found myself looking right into the face of my favorite Today Show hunk-the one and only Matt Lauer!