By Adam Stewart
From the Newsroom
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how covering the work that nonprofits and volunteers do in our community helps lift my spirits. Well, this week brought another good example.
On Friday, I got to take a ride-along with a Meals on Wheels volunteer delivery driver, Doris Waters. As we began her route through northeastern Hutchinson, I asked how she started volunteering with Meals on Wheels. She said she reached the point where she felt ready to get more involved in the community, and around the same time, she got an email about volunteer opportunities. She hadn’t known where to look to get involved, but the opportunity found her.
I’ve seen the same sort of thing happen over and over again. When someone is ready and wants to get involved, wants to help, the opportunity will often find them. You often don’t have to look very hard; you just have your eyes open to opportunities. But if you want to go looking for volunteer opportunities, the Volunteer Center of Reno County is a good place to start. You can find the Volunteer Center inside Hutchinson Community College’s Davis Hall, 815 N. Walnut St., or by calling 620-665-4960 or emailing volunteercenter@hutchcc.edu.
Back to Meals on Wheels, at one stop on Doris’ route, we lingered for a brief visit with Lenora Spillman. Lenora told me that she appreciated that programs like Meals on Wheels are available to give her a hand after she spent decades of her life helping others. Doris said that the people she delivers to often express gratitude for the help, and that helps keep it easy to show up every Friday to make deliveries.
I think there is a useful lesson in that, not just for nonprofits with official volunteers, but for all of us. It’s one thing to be thankful and appreciative of the things people do for you. It’s another thing to actually voice those thanks. It only takes a couple of seconds to say, “Thank you for your help.” Maybe a little bit longer to articulate more specifically what it means to you but still not long.
There isn’t a limited supply of thank-yous. You don’t have to save them for something important. You can thank someone for even the smallest thing, and you can sincerely mean it. It will make your day better and the days of the people around you.
Adam Stewart is the assistant news editor of The Hutchinson Tribune. He can be reached at adam@hutchtribune.com.