“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” (Gandhi)
Many years ago, when I embarked on a two-month backpacking trip after college graduation, I rode the trains all over Europe to get from place to place. While on the trains, I met young soldiers from many different countries, and I learned that serving in the military is a requirement of their homelands. I was in awe and put myself in their shoes for the moment. I felt grateful that, as a US Citizen, serving in the military was an option for me not a requirement. At the same time, I also felt inadequate for not doing my part by serving in my country’s military.
Since then, I have always had a soft spot for the military soldiers who are the keepers of our freedom. Freedom is one of my top five values and if weren’t for our military, I know we all wouldn’t have the freedoms we enjoy today. This is why when I heard of the opportunity to volunteer with the Sac VERG I jumped at the chance. I now had a way to serve our local community and give back to those that sacrificed for my freedom.
Now it’s your turn—you also have an open invitation to volunteer with the Sac VERG in any capacity and for whatever timeframes work best for you. Here are some benefits of volunteering with the Sac VERG:
- DIVERSITY & PERSPECTIVE:
Our volunteers have a passion and a purpose. I love how this board brings diverse backgrounds and new thinking to build camaraderie and teamwork while working towards a common goal. Whether it’s making new networking contacts, or making new friends, it is a joy to work a group of committed and talented professionals. - SELF: Ever wonder where you can “get experience”? Join VERG and you can test out new skills or discover hidden talents or new ones to apply in your personal life or to your career. Volunteering is good for our well-being. Experts report that when we focus on someone other than ourselves, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns.
- COMMUNITY: By collectively maximizing our efforts as volunteers to help veterans and their families thrive, we are introducing new community programs and tools, saving resources, and creating opportunities that wouldn’t be available if our volunteers had not donated their time.
Contact us today at info@sacverg.org to learn more about making a difference. We currently have leadership positions on our board available, as well as committee member positions to help with our events and community initiatives. Wrapping up with another quote from Gandhi, “You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.”
Take a chance, reach out and let us know how you would like to get involved. Good things are waiting for you!
Shauna Harrington,
Co-Chair, VERG
