If exercise is the best prescription for your long term physical health, volunteering could be the best medicine for your mental health. The reasons are many: you meet new friends, improve your social skills, and build self-confidence while having fun and making a difference in your community. Many of you are already volunteering, but for those who are considering volunteering, you may want to follow these five steps to avoid wasting your time pursuing volunteer opportunities that just aren’t “you”.
1. Identify your interests. What do you feel passionate about – children, social issues, gardening? It might help to look back over your life and remember what you found rewarding.
2. List your skills and talents. Do you have computer or writing skills? Do you understand accounting? Are you patient enough to work with children?
3. Decide what you are willing to do—and not do—as a volunteer. Do you enjoying talking on the phone or would you rather spend all day on a tractor? Do you feel comfortable with teenagers or do you consider them another alien species.
4. Determine how much time you can realistically volunteer. Some opportunities are a long term commitment; while others may be a one-time event – and fit your snowbird calendar.
5. Identify the organizations that could be good matches. Ask friends and family; or check the newspaper or Internet for organization’s that might fit. Most organizations are always looking for volunteers.
6. Contact the organizations that match. But let them know your interests and skills; what you can and cannot do and your time commitment.
After you find the volunteer opportunity that is personally rewarding and fits who you are, you will discover the difference it will make in your own life and in your community – guaranteed.
Speaking of volunteer opportunities, do you want to help a student find the right path? The Dalles Wahtonka High School is looking for caring and enthusiastic volunteers for their new MAPS Program. If you enjoy tutoring and mentoring young adults, please consider joining the team of MAPS Navigators! For more information, contact Ginger Gonzales, Parent and Community Involvement Coordinator at (541) 506-3449 ext. 4003 or at gonzalesg@nwasco.k12.or.us.
Although many people have coped with loss in the past, it is always beneficial to learn more about dealing with the loss of someone significant in your life. The Seven Strategies: Coping with the Loss of a Loved One “will help identify unique factors affecting a person’s grief, different ways people grieve, how a person might access support as well as ways to honor a loved one”. The “Seven Strategies” presentation is free and open to anyone and will be held at the Center on Monday, May 7, 2012 from 6:00—7:30 pm. Anne Kister, Community Care Liaison for Providence Home Services, will be the presenter.
At the Center’s next Tuesday Lecture on April 17th at 11:00, local attorney Antoine Tissot will be speaking on the often requested topic: Wills. Antoine practices with Brad Timmons and has special training in Elder Law.
Tonight at the Center, Martin and Friends will be playing country western so you can dance with your sweetheart (or a good friend) till the lights go out. And next Tuesday the 17th Truman will be making his monthly appearance. The music starts at 7:00, everyone is welcome and donations are always appreciated.
Whether you’ve been dancing since you were in diapers or you need to learn because your wife thinks it’s a good idea (I’ve been there!), Steve Hudson will be teaching another session of East Coast Swing starting Sunday April 15th from 7:00 – 9:00 at the Center. To reserve your spot call Steve at 541-993-3540.
The perennial candidate from Minnesota who ran for the Republican Party nomination for President from 1944 until 1992 was Harold Stassen. (And the winner of a Cherry Festival Breakfast on April 28th is Steve Bungum.) This week’s “Remember When” question is about memorable ads. In the radio commercial starting in 1959 and later in the animated television commercials, who did the housewife call to turn her hard water soft? Email your answer to the mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call541-296-4788 or mail it to the Center on the back of a crisp C-note.
Well, it has been another week searching for that missing word on the tip of my tongue. Until we meet again, the person who truly gives is one who doesn’t take a tax deduction.
