Happy National Volunteer week (April 12-April 18)

Happy National Volunteer week!

On behalf of the Sodexo team at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, we would like to express a heartfelt "Thank You" to those who volunteered and gave back to the community.

A survey conducted by Gallup Well Being in 2013, http://www.gallup.com/poll/166250/americans-practice-charitable-giving-volunteerism.aspx found that 83% of Americans donated to charity in the past year and 65% volunteered.

So, what is a volunteer? According to dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/volunteer, a volunteer is a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking or a person who performs a service willingly and without pay.

There are many ways to volunteer. Conventionally, people look to volunteer at food banks, religious organizations, hospitals, schools or homeless shelters. There are also a few web-based volunteer matching services that could assist in finding a place to volunteer as well.

I have volunteered at homeless shelters and food banks, which I enjoy. I do however have another perspective in volunteering. Remember the definition of a volunteer? "A volunteer is a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking or a person who performs a service willingly and without pay". Why not start volunteering at home? When is the last time you offer to do food shopping, laundry or cleaning the house for your neighbor or parents? If you can't remember when is the last time you did so, perhaps this is a good week to volunteer. Of course, you can also volunteer at work. If you see the break room is dirty, why not volunteer yourself and tidy it? If you see a colleague could use a hand, why not offer your assistance? Volunteering is fun, positive and most importantly an act of kindness and selflessness. Perhaps by doing so, you could make the other person pay it forward.

Don't forget, you can give the gift of volunteerism anytime, anywhere, and on any occasion.

Happy Volunteering!

                                  A video features Lahey Hospital & Medical Center volunteers