This is an Editorial article from Issue 5 of the Pierce Arrow Newspaper……
Robert F. Kennedy once said, “You’re happiest while you’re making the greatest contribution.” When you help others you are making a contribution that is beneficial to the world and those who inhabit it. Helping the world starts with your community. Get involved in your school community, and volunteer!
I believe that you cannot just live and do nothing, or live selfishly. You cannot live every day for yourself. You have to be aware of the world and what is going on around you. That is possible with volunteering. I have volunteered my whole life and I will continue to do it beyond college. I understand that not everyone has grown up with volunteering. It was not a requirement for my freshman class, however coming into a new school, it would be beneficial to everyone. Students get introduced to the surrounding area and the community through volunteering.
When I was a freshman, I volunteered at Fast Friends, a greyhound rescue. Although this program was not offered again I decided to volunteer at the Humane Society my sophomore and junior year and also volunteered at Kitty Rescue last semester. It was a nice break from campus and a great way to meet new people I may not have met if I did not join. This year, my senior year, I got the privilege to become a Community Service Office Manager. I run the program Head Start, a kindergarten in Jaffrey.
All of the community service opportunities I have been involved with at this university have been rewarding and entertaining. One in particular stands out above the rest, Alternative Spring Break (ASB). In high school I never got the opportunity to go and aid with a natural disaster or help build houses, but I always wanted to. I came to this school hoping for that opportunity, and I got it, sophomore year. We went to Arizona and did a copious amount of community service work in different parts of Arizona. I honestly fell in love with what we did there. I am so fortunate to be going a third time this year and to have had the opportunity to help organize the past two ASB trips. That has definitely been the best part of my college experience so far. We have worked with Habitat for Humanity all three years, and it is probably the best organization I have ever worked with. If you ever get an opportunity to do ASB, I strongly suggest to take it!
Franklin Pierce currently offers community service opportunities working with animals at the Humane Society and Kitty Rescue, children at Head Start, Jaffrey After School, Boynton Buddies and Telephone Tales, and to work with the elderly either through Computer Tutoring or Good Shepherd. All of these have great perspectives to meet and work with new awesome people, and just do something good. They do not require you to go every day, just a couple hours a week. There are 168 hours in a week, and these programs usually run not more than 2 hours. Two hours out of a 168 hour week is not a lot of time that you can give to someone who would appreciate the help. It also looks great on a resume, especially if you are an education major who wants to work with children, or you are someone who wants to go into the health field. Many of us on campus are either too involved or not involved enough; be the one that is in the middle. You don’t have to do everything, just do something. Everyone wants an awesome college experience, but that does not just include partying on the weekends and going blindly to class and not taking in every day. Get something out of each day! The world gives to you, so give back.
Amelia Walters
Assistant Editor-in-Chief of the Pierce Arrow
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