"Lip" Service or True Service? Advocate of Volunteering

When was the last time you volunteered your service(s)? I mean, really gave away your valuable time with nothing in return?

My dad, passionate about genealogy, volunteers about 8 hours weeky at his local library. He teaches folks in the library lab how to do genealogy research on the computer, among other things. I think he ends up teaching the folks how to use a computer in general.

Most of the time I claim I started my career working for a computer training company. While this is true chronologically, I didn't really discover my passion for training until I volunteered.

One of my goals when I graduated college was to teach prison inmates how to read. As The Universe Is, I walked in to a public library and immediately saw the sign asking for volunteers: Project L.E.A.D.-----Literacy for Every Adult in Dade. http://www.mdpls.org/services/outreach/lead.asp

This was exactly what I was looking for. I called the Project LEAD number. The nice lady registered me for their Laubach Literacy Tutor course. I went to the course and became a "certified Laubach literacy tutor." I was assigned a student. The student didn't show. I was assigned another student. The second one didn't show. It took several tries before I was connected with a student who showed---Mary. I taught her reading skills four years.

Project LEAD asked me to help out as a volunteer tutor trainer. The nice lady registered me for their Laubach Literacy Tutor Trainer course. I went to the course and became a "certified literacy tutor trainer." I delivered a small piece of a literacy tutor certification and I was hooked. There is no feeling equal to the exhilaration of seeing a group of people's lightbulbs go off all the same time. It is brighter than the sun. The real beauty? You can look at it and---not be blinded.

Soon, I asked to be transferred from the sales department to the training department at my job.

Today I am a successful trainer because I found my passion through volunteerism. I am so grateful to the Universe that my actions are aligned with my purpose.

"My object in living is to unite
My advocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight."
---Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time

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