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Being a volunteer is a pretty cool experience. Sure, it does nothing to enhance your income, but the experiences you gain are enormous. The best part about volunteering is that unlike a job, it is not a strict commitment, you come in when you want, and give what you can.

I remember when I was in ninth grade, I helped tutor younger students on how to use computers and other forms of technology that in the mid-90's was pretty new stuff. Although I had to get up at 8am, and I didn't get to sleep in for about three weeks of my summer vacation, it is still something that I fondly remember.

The best part of being volunteer is that you get to give back to people who gave something to help you. The previous year, I had been in the same program, where volunteers spent three weeks the previous summer helping me with my writing, and other skills that I had been struggling with the past couple years in school. This helped me tremendously, and when I got to high school, I had a new found confidence that I could go to school and be a success.

As you can see, volunteering has rewards that are completely different than just a paycheck. For example, I have no clue how many of the kids I worked with the next year had gained a better handle on their English skills, or how many kids went to school that year better equipped to handle what was coming. You help people in ways you don't foresee when you start working with them.

Being a volunteer is something that everyone should do at least once in their lives, because people expect so much, but don't realize how hard it is for some people to get things accomplished. The elderly for example, can't always get outside to rake, or shovel the snow, and could use a hand for an hour or two to help clean off the yard, or driveway.

The parents of school age children don't always have the money to hire tutors, and some teachers don't always have time to focus on a single student. Volunteering at a school for an hour or so a day can really help a child succeed, and would help ease the mind of a parent.

Those are two very basic, simple things that can be done to help people. Simply coming in to work a few minutes early to help a regular customer into the store from the car on a rainy day can help brighten that persons day.

Volunteering is more than giving away your time for free. Volunteering helps your community, increases your pride in yourself that you were able to help another person without thinking of yourself. Volunteering helps those in need feel good about the fact that someone is willing to help them out. Volunteering isn't a paycheck, but it still pays to do it.

Learn more about this author, Cody Hodge.
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