My soapbox for the day....volunteering.

The majority of people who know me, know that I'm passionate about volunteering and doing charitable work.  It's what makes me/people feel good.  Knowing that you helped some one or thing for nothing.  My husband ownes a company that would not survive without the help of volunteers.  But are they in fact volunteers?  I'd arguably say NO!


By definition, to volunteer means to offer (oneself or one's services) for an undertaking by choice and without request or obligation.  NOTE:  without request or obligation!  SO, since when did society decide volunteers should be paid?  I must not have received that memo and quite frankly it makes me angry that people, groups and organizations now days request/expect to be paid for their voluntary services.  It's one thing for a football team or an organization to raise money for their needs, however fund-raising should be done in addition to volunteering not in conjunction with.  Year after year, I see my husband's company fork out thousands of dollars to "volunteers" who help them work their races.  Why bother calling them volunteers when indeed that's NOT what they are doing.  They aren't "volunteering" their time or services, they're getting PAID.  As stated above, that IS NOT The definition of volunteer.  Without pay, they wouldn't "volunteer" leaving my husband business no choice but to pay.   How does that work?

Where will the world be in 20yrs if we continue to expect a dollar for every little thing we do?  I help an old lady across the street to turn and say "that will cost you $2."  Really?!  What will happen to these wonderful entities that help the homeless or our batter women and children and crack babies if they are expected to pay people for their services?  I get that the world is not a perfect place and I'm not sure I want it to be.  All I'm saying is we shouldn't label one's services as volunteering if in fact they are getting paid for it.