Community Service: Giving Back to the Community By Volunteering :: Contribution to My Community

â€Å"The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.† ― Barack Obama It all started when I was in high-school. I volunteered at Helping Hands, Meals on Wheels, and Habitat for Humanity. These volunteering experiences opened my eyes to the needs of my community and the many opportunities for community service. After high-school, I started volunteering with a variety of organizations. I was involved in projects and activities relating to peace, human rights, environment and HIV/AIDS. It was a great pleasure for me to contribute to the development of my community through volunteering. The impact I was making on my community was visible. I encountered numerous obstacles while volunteering because many people don't value volunteer work. In my community, many people consider volunteering as waste of time. They cannot conceive of the fact that someone would work without receiving compensation. My friends and family advised me on several occasions to stop volunteering. I felt extremely discouraged at one point but I could not stop because I loved doing it. Volunteering was the top priority of my life. I decided to ignore their advice and concentrate on my work. One day, a group of young people came to me and said they had something to say. I was very surprised. They said they were all grateful for the changes I brought into their lives. I was so happy to hear such a statement - it aroused a great joy in my heart. This experience has helped me to understand that when one focuses on what others think, it may be difficult to have a meaningful impact upon the lives of others. There are three elements that permitted me to succeed in life through volunteering: passion, determination and patience. One cannot succeed in life overnight. We have to work hard to enjoy the fruits of our labor.