One could say we are facing a pending volunteer crisis in our community. The problem – the older residents who have been the volunteer workhorses are passing away and younger folks aren’t stepping up to take their place.

Look at the numbers.

According to the Volunteers in Action/Retired Senior Volunteer Program office in Great Bend, the total number of volunteers of all ages was 434 last year. Their volunteer hours added up to 40,101. 

However, of these volunteers, 357 were 55 and over and put in 39,019. The largest percent of volunteers serving last year were between the ages of 70-79. Closely followed by the age group 60-69 and then 80-84. 

“Many of the volunteers in the community are afraid to sign up for RSVP or Volunteers In Action,” said Linn Hogg, executive director of the programs. “They feel we will ask them to do more. However, our job is just to give the opportunities and work with the agencies to make the volunteering experience better. We can’t do that if we don’t know who they are.” 

Why don’t young people get involved? Perhaps its because we adults don’t make our children volunteer so they don’t learn how rewarding it can be. Maybe we adults don’t volunteer ourselves and aren’t good role models. 

We get out and enjoy events and take advantage of services, assuming someone will make things happen. Well, folks, volunteers make many of these things possible.

Volunteers impact every part of the community and can interact with many facets of a person’s life.

Volunteers serve at hospitals, blood drives, meal delivery, medical transportation, veteran’s needs, food banks, counseling, administrative, board members, historical society, education, social service areas, building a home, fostering a child, helping with community projects and so much more.

And there are so many benefits to volunteering:

• Feel good about yourself

• Help someone out

• Fill a need in the community

• Better your community

• Learn a new skill

• Make some great connections

• Build your job resume

• Build your scholarship reference connections.

There are glimmers of hope. The Great Bend Young Professionals group is fostering volunteerism among its members and just recently hundreds of Great Bend High School students took part in the annual GBHS Community Service Day.

Anyone can help. They can help clean up yards, take someone to a hair appointment, pickup medicine or adopt a grandparent to lend them a hand.

There are a lot of people who understand. There just needs to be more.

Dale Hogg