Here are statistics that shouldn’t surprised anyone in Allen County. WHILE WE’RE able to crow about all that volunteers do in the county and its towns, there is room for many more.
According to a study by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the National Conference on Citizenship, Kansas ranks fourth among the 50 states and District of Columbia in having 36.1 percent of residents volunteering for one project or another. Even more pleasing is that Kansas teenagers topped the list of states in willingness to volunteer.
In 2011 to 2013 the annual average was 40.9 percent of Kansas youths volunteered for all sorts of community and neighborhood projects.
As for all residents in 2013, Kansans contributed 82.2 million hours of service.
Allen County’s 13,000 or so residents very likely were at the forefront.
Never a day goes by without one, two or a gaggle of volunteers doing something to make our little corner of the world better.
Scores of volunteers spend untold hours in the multitude of youth sports, and that includes a good number of teenagers who take time to help younger kids to learn and appreciate participating.
We also have a number of community events — think Biblesta in Humboldt, community festivals in Moran, LaHarpe and Iola and the granddaddy of them all, the Allen County Fair — that have volunteers working for months ahead of time to make sure each event comes off like clockwork.
Thrive Allen County has encouraged volunteerism through its many ongoing projects, as well as revival of the Allen County Farmers Market and the Charley Melvin Run for Your Life celebration.
Volunteers help fulfill missions of our churches; the Presbyterians’ Soup Supper is a new kid on the block, but one that has proved both popular and beneficial.
Hope Unlimited and the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility would falter in a flash without volunteers. Same is true of the Allen County and Humboldt historical societies; they would be shells of what they are today without volunteers.
Rather than sit idly by and “let someone else do it,” hold up your hand and volunteer. And while you’re at it, don’t fret about who gets credit for what is accomplished.
Years ago when Carol Mix was director Iola’s Area Chamber of Commerce, she had a little sign on her desk that said something to the effect: “If no one cares who gets the credit, just imagine what we can get done.”
— Bob Johnson
Volunteers are the lifeblood of communities
