Service hours - REALLY?
Ugh. They really want me to help other people? Uh...yah...don't you want to?
Ok, listen: here is the lowdown about volunteering: Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity where an individual or group provides services for no financial or social gain "to benefit another person, group or organization". Volunteering is also renowned for skill development and is often intended to promote goodness or to improve human quality of life. Volunteering may have positive benefits for the volunteer as well as for the person or community served. It is also intended to make contacts for possible employment. Some schools have service programs where volunteering can count for educational credit. "Really? OK...NOW I'm listening."
There are many proven personal benefits of community volunteerism. Working together with a group of people who have different ethnicity, backgrounds, and views reduces stereotypes. Community volunteerism has also been proven to improve student's academic success. Not only does surrounding oneself with new people and learning how to work together as a group help one improve teamwork and relational skills, it reduces stereotypes, increases appreciation of other cultures, and works to allow young people to find others that they relate to.
WAIT! There's more! (Am I sounding like a product infomercial yet?)
Volunteering has the ability to improve the quality of life and health including longevity of those who donate their time and research has found that older adults will benefit the most from volunteering. There are barriers that can prevent adults from participating in volunteer work, such as socio-economic status, opinions held by others, and even current health issues. However, these barriers can be overcome so that if one would like to be involved in volunteer work they can do so. Volunteering improves not only the communities in which one serves, but also the life of the individual who is providing help to the community.
OK: so full disclosure...I totally got most of that from a quick Google search on the Internet. No lie. I'll post a link below to a great page I found about the benefits of volunteering. But for now, let's continue.
Service IS a point of the crown, from princess to Miss America
"No kidding? Why is service so important?" Well, duh...read above. But, also, having that crown is a sounding board for you to get your word out. It helps people to recognize who you are and what you stand for. When people see that crown, they know that you are a helpful person and dedicated to giving back to their community.
Miss America is all about giving back. The national platform is the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH). Title holders and contestants all across the county help to raise funds for CMNH to help those sick kiddos in CMNH hospitals (we have a couple right here in Kansas). And guess what? Funds raised for CMNH in Kansas STAYS in Kansas. Cool huh?
But it doesn't stop with CMNH and Miss America. You can volunteer at a local humane society, a women's shelter, clean up downtown, volunteer to read for school children, help run a school carnival, create goodie boxes for the military, serve at a soup kitchen, gather coats for those in need, bowl for kids, volunteer at a nursing home, create a Christmas giveaway program with toys, and MORE.
And what's even cooler? The MAO program and the Miss Kansas program believe in service so much, you can actually wins scholarships for giving back! TRUTH! One that our Miss Kansas title holders have recently been very successful at is the Quality of Life award. You can also win a scholarship by raising the most funds for CMNH (it's called the Miracle Maker award).
OK...sorry...got a little selfish there trying to plug the scholarship benefits ("scholarship" which, incidentally is another point of the crown). You really should volunteer and give back because you WANT to. Did you know that the ENTIRE Miss Dodge City Organization is made up of volunteers? YUP! Volunteers for YOU. That's how much we believe in you. We all have day jobs. We all have our own lives. But we volunteer to see YOU succeed. And guess what...the state is the same way. Yep, all the way up to the CEO of the Miss Kansas Organization. ALL volunteers. Directors, coaches, sponsors, all of us...volunteers. And you know what? WE LOVE IT. And volunteering for this filter and trickles into other volunteer opportunities. It grows and grows and reaches more and more people.
Now this is just completely my opinion, but volunteering. Shouldn't be even something you question doing. Giving back makes me happier than I have ever been. I used to not do anything. When I volunteered for the first time, I was completely shocked at how GOOD it felt and wasn't something I was expecting. You expect to do good for others and make their lives better. But what you don't expect it the return good it does for you. It makes you look at yourself and really question some of the selfish things that you do..come on...admit it...we all do selfish things. Sometimes that's good (like making time for yourself and taking care of your health first). But sometimes, selfishness creates a situation in which it is easy and doesn't take much effort to take care of your own needs, and ignore others.
I read this today also and loved it. Transcend Selfishness: Pursue knowledge. Give Charity. Practice Faith. Love Unconditionally. I encourage you to read it: https://www.meaningfullife.com/four-ways-to-transcend-selfishness/.
We believe within this organization that looking past yourself will help to improve yourself tenfold. Yes, you need to live a healthy lifestyle. Yes, taking care of your hair and skin is important. Yes, creating and practicing your talent and interview skills increases your discipline and dedication immensely. But SERVING OTHERS, have a servant's heart, will give all of those previous things purpose, meaning, a brand for you, and defines you as a whole person.
Share 'you' with others. You'll be surprised at how you will find 'you' in the process.
Now. Straighten that crown and get out there, Queen. You got this.
This volunteer believes in you.
For more information about volunteering and its benefits, visit: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/volunteering-and-its-surprising-benefits.htm
~Chris Haselhorst (co-director
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