People volunteer for a wide variety of reasons, especially wanting to help others. But it's also OK to want some benefits for yourself from volunteering.

Some people are uncomfortable with the notion that a volunteer "benefits" from doing volunteer work. There is a long tradition of seeing volunteering as a form of charity, based on altruism and selflessness. The best volunteering does involve the desire to serve others, but this does not exclude other motivations, as well.

Instead of considering volunteering as something you do for people who are not as fortunate as yourself, begin to think of it as an exchange.

Consider that most people find themselves in need at some point in their lives. So today you may be the person with the ability to help, but tomorrow you may be the recipient of someone else's volunteer effort. Even now you might be on both sides of the service cycle: maybe you are a tutor for someone who can't read, while last month the volunteer ambulance corps rushed you to the emergency room. Volunteering also includes "self-help." So if you are active in your neighborhood crime watch, your home is protected while you protect your neighbors' homes, too. Adding your effort to the work of others makes everyone's lives better.

Found in the Energize website library at: http://www.energizeinc.com/art.html

News

• 8/10/2010 - Fall Prevention: Stay Strong, Stay Active, Stay Standing - Presented by Ellen Schneider, Associate Director for Operations and Communications
  UNC Institute on Aging
  Tuesday, August 10, 12:30-1:30 PM
  Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Fallon Center
  2718 Overbrook Drive, Raleigh
  Click here for more information
• 8/10/2010 - Open House - The Center held an Open House our office in Cary on July 30 to introduce our newest team members Amanda Dean and Wes Wilson. It was lots of fun and our Home Made Ice Cream was a hit with all. Click here for pics!
• 5/10/2010 - Volunteer Appreciation - Our annual Volunteer Appreciation was held on Sunday, April 18. The food was delicious, the entertainment was wonderful and a good time was had by all! Click here for pictures.
• 3/8/2010 -

  Can You Be a Volunteer Coordinator? We need a super-volunteer to coordinate other volunteers.   The ideal candidate has the organizational, communication and computer skills to manage a group of volunteers who provide direct service to care receivers.    If you’d like to join our team of coordinators, The Center needs your talent! 
  Please click to review the detailed position description, or contact smeador@ctrvolcare.org for more informatio

• 2/26/2010 - 2008-2009 Annual Report The 2008-2009 Annual Report is available for download. Click Here
• 2/25/2010 - Red Carpet Day was so much fun! Click here for pictures!
• 5/1/09 - Bowling Ball 2009 This year's Bowling Ball was a blast! Click here to see our pictures. You can see even more pictures on our Facebook page!
• 3/31/08 - Volunteer Timesheets - Some of our volunteers have had trouble downloading our timesheets. Timesheets are now available in Adobe Reader pdf format. Please click here to download the pdf version. Questions about how to fill out your time sheets? Please click here for information.