Make A Difference Day — It’s Good!

by Shelly Kneupper Tucker on September 18, 2009

I’m looking forward to Saturday, October 24, 2009. It’s called National Make A Difference Day, and it’s a “celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.” That seemed like a “good” thing to share with you this Friday. At least ~~y’all~~ mateys it’s probably better than the International Talk Like A Pirate Day that I shared yesterday. This day has a purpose!

There is a magazine that comes tucked into my Sunday paper (engulfed by all the advertisements and leaflets), called USA Weekend. For the last couple of years, they have sponsored Make A Difference Day, and I tell you what! It has! Last year (2008) more than “3 million people cared enough about their communities to volunteer on that day, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of towns.”

You can go to the website for ideas about projects for that day, or to participate in other projects that are started. But, use your noggin’! You know of some things you could do to make a difference.

Remember that nursing home on the other side of town? Run over there and play dominoes with some of the elderly men and just visit with them … better yet, take some Bingo prizes and be the Bingo caller. Or, think about that single woman down the street. You know. The one trying to juggle two jobs and take care of her toddlers at the same time. You could clean up her yard for her!

Clean up an abandoned cemetery, repair a neglected playground, gather trash from the side of the highway. Or, contact 2-1-1 (remember when I told you about 2-1-1?) to find out volunteer opportunities in your area.

Y’all are more creative than I am. Can you name one project that could use a volunteer? Can you think of one creative thing that anybody could do to “make a difference?”

Now, there are some folks who might read this who are struggling themselves. Maybe you got laid off from your job and are searching to find another. You are having trouble just making ends meet. If so, you might be thinking, “This woman is a lunatic! I can’t go volunteer!”

Think again. There are several good reasons to volunteer, even if your own situation seems dire:

Volunteering gives you a purpose. Knowing that you are about to go out into the world and make a difference is wonderful motivation. It gives you a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
It gets you out of the daily rut of examining your own problems, and can help you fight depression. I’m not lying. If depression has you down, activity and social interaction will help.
It looks great on a résumé! It shows that you are a go-getter. You can find an organization that uses skill sets that you already have, or learn new skills.
While you are volunteering, you might also be networking! You might meet someone who knows just the job for you.
Call it “karma,” or “The Golden Rule,” or “reaping what you sow.” When you do good for others, it comes back to you ten-fold.
Helping others just feels good.

You know what? We don’t have to wait until October 24th. We could declare that every day is “Make A Difference Day!”

I hope y’all have a wonderful weekend. Visit some other fine folks who participate in Only the Good Friday. If you want to write a blog post, tell me and I’ll add you here:

RV Poetry; Candid Karina; All My Great, or Not So Great Adventures; Inside Mo’s Mind; Thorne’s World; Down River Drivel; Duward Discussion; Ramblings of an Unstable Mind; Insightful Nana; Newbie Lifeline; Everyday Tarot; West of Mars; Life’s Journey; Round Circle; Barbara’s Travels; Blog of Revelation; Desert Diva; Blogjem