On Volunteering

 My twitter name is @GSKath.  I created my twitter account when I found out that both the national and my regional Girl Scout organizations were beginning to communicate important information in tweets.  I've since branched out and follow all sorts of interesting people and organizations but I'll always be @GSKath first and foremost.

I always knew I'd be a Girl Scout volunteer.  Well, actually when I was a girl, I thought I'd be a Girl Guide volunteer.  I was born in Canada and was a Girl Guide growing up, not a Girl Scout.  I had dedicated leaders who really made an impression on me.  We moved to "The States" when I was in 9th grade.  I did join a troop in my hometown in high school and volunteered with a Brownie troop but didn't last very long as these troops didn't do real camping. They did hotel camping.  I'm pretty old school.

My volunteer career began in grade school, continued in high school with student council, prom committee, the school consortium, and Sing Out Morris and then in college with dorm committees, music sorority events and helping out in an administrative office.  I was a Campus Girl Scout too.  In most of these efforts, there were adults at the helm who nurtured all of us young volunteers, helped to bring out the leader or teacher in each of us or helped us figure out our skill sets and passions.  Being able to give time and talent to groups and causes I believed in became a little addictive.

Although my time at church is more limited now,
maintaining the Godly Play worship space is one small
way I've found I can help.  I adore this room.

Fast forward quite a few years.  When my son was about a year old my priest called and asked if I would teach Church School.  It's so hard to say no to the priest, you know.  Thus began my volunteer career.  Teaching third graders on Sundays led to running the program which led to a part-time job, then a full-time job.  Volunteering led me to the most rewarding opportunities in the church.  If I hadn't started as a volunteer, I'd never have known the deep satisfaction of working for a community that has meant the world to me.

By the time my son was in school, I had picked up some other volunteer gigs.  I was the PTA "ice cream lady" for a lot of years at my kids' school, I typed in the school's publishing center (every child created an illustrated book every year), at some point I typed, edited and distributed the monthly newsletter for a couple of schools and I was an officer on the executive board for a little while.  When my daughter arrived in kindergarten, I added being a Girl Scout leader to my volunteer resume.

And that's when things really got going.

Seriously, these girls (all out of college now and
making their own way in the world) gave me so much
joy.  We began with 10, ended with 7 and in the 13 years
we spent together, about 20 young ladies floated in
and out of this group.

Watching my ten little 5-year-olds (including one with physical challenges) grow up that first year was a joy.  Each year brought new adventures and memories that were often touching, often hysterical and always rewarding.  Having been bitten by the bug, I couldn't just leave it at leading my troop.  Troops are organized into communities called Service Units (in my area, service units are most often your actual community too).  These "SU's" are run by volunteers trained in specific tasks by the local Girl Scout Council.  I started my career with the service unit as the troop organizer for my school, recruiting other leaders to start up new or take over existing troops and organizing the girls into these troops.  I ran or helped to run local events like our annual International Night.  Eventually I became a co-leader of the service unit which had, at the time, more than 50 troops of hundreds of girls.  Helping other leaders help girls find their passions and begin to realize their potential was tremendously satisfying.

My Girl Scout resume increased to include Trainer (my favorite thing to do), delegate to Council meetings, delegate to National Council Sessions and various and sundry other odd jobs that it has been my joy to do over the years--18 years I think.

What do I get out of all this time spent?  I'm privileged to watch some really cool young ladies grow up.  I'm there to see the kernels of their ideas become big successful projects and watch them realize they can tackle just about anything from planning a trip and budgeting to educating their peers on issues that are important to them.  I've met so many adults along the way who've inspired and taught me a thing or twenty.  Some of these folks I now count among my dearest friends.  I've been able to travel on behalf of my Council, something for which I'm very grateful.  I've become accustomed to public speaking (and I'm not terrible at it).  I get to exercise my creativity muscles and practice my outdoor skills.  I try to stay organized (never batting 1000 there).

Spending time with young people keeps me young.  I've learned to like a lot of what they like--things I'd never have given a chance without their enthusiastic chatter (like Taylor Swift and One Direction) and admit to not totally appreciating other things (the Twilight and Hunger Games series).  The small bits of time I give to my church these days feed my soul and renew my spirit.

I've learned that even when I've had a long day at work and it seems like going home and slipping into yoga pants and a hoodie feels right and driving somewhere for a meeting feels like a chore, there is much more satisfaction in making the drive, keeping the appointment and lending some help if I can.  Yes, I get grumpy sometimes--the last two weeks, for example, have been overloaded with obligations.  Years ago I learned that balance is key to preventing burn out and I try to limit the number of nights I spend in volunteer work.  Every so often, my schedule gets out of control (8 Girl Scout meetings of every variety in 10 days was a bit much even for me) but I just have to regroup, pay attention and look in the mirror and practice saying, "I'm terribly sorry but my schedule is already overcrowded this week."

I wish everyone could enjoy this feeling--it can be a real high knowing that you're making a difference in your community.  And the truth is--everyone can.  There are thousands of organizations that need our help and everyone has something to offer.  I promise:  you'll get way more out of than you'll realize at the time.  You are needed.