Last month’s article was dedicated to National Volunteer Appreciation Week along with some ideas on different ways to honor volunteers. One mention was the North Carolina Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. This is a great way to honor those quiet folks in our community who give of their time day after day.
I have been in this position for almost two years now. I have heard some beautiful stories about volunteering that have come out of our community. Some of those stories have been told to me from people that received the aid of a volunteer and are still struggling to find ways to thank them more than they already have.
First, a simple thank you is the best thing you can do to make a volunteer feel appreciated, but I have also mentioned the Governor’s Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. I am aware that some individuals do not like being publicly recognized, simply because they do not volunteer for those reasons. But another way to look at being publicly recognized for volunteering is to help set an example of how important it is to volunteer.
The recipients of this award encompass the true spirit of volunteering. They give of themselves and their time and do not ask for one thing in return. They are not looking to obtain a job or gain hours to fulfill a requirement. These individuals volunteer because they understand the humanity in it all.
It is necessary for our survival to have the skill to contribute within our community/world altruistically. In true times of hardship it is great to know those individuals that can step up to the plate, get the job done, and not expect anything in return. They understand the balance in life that contributes to a healthy civilization.
This is the 31st year of this award being recognized from the Governor’s Office. It was started in 1979 along with an effort for every county in North Carolina to establish a volunteer center for all the reasons and more that I mentioned above. Any individual, group, business or organization whose volunteer activities in North Carolina benefit the community or the state in a substantial, important or unique way are eligible. Students receiving course credits are eligible, only if the volunteer service extends beyond course requirements.
National Service program participants (AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Vista, Learn and Serve, RSVP, Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, etc.) are eligible based on their volunteer involvement in addition to/or outside of their national service assignment.
How about some of our veterans in the community and current service men/women that I know have gone above and beyond the call of duty? Let us not forget them.
If you have any questions about eligibility, call me. I will be glad to find the best way to get you an application and guide you through the process. This award is two fold: we must honor them and we need them to provide great examples for future generations. The application deadline is July 15.
Amy Byrd is coordinator of the Volunteer Center of Randolph County, a program of United Way. Byrd’s column appears the third Wednesday of each month. If you would like to volunteer, call (336) 626-6643 or send Amy an e-mail at amy@uwrandolph.org.
