You Can Make a Difference

 

Saturday, October 27 is Make A Difference Day!  According to Usatoday.weekend, “more than 3 million people help 20 million others on this annual day of volunteering.”  What will you do this Saturday?

If you are have never volunteered or if you are still trying to find an organization that you feel passionate about, use this day to experience the joy of volunteering or explore your options.  Many young people feel nervous about how to start or have false beliefs that their only option is working in a soup kitchen, but volunteers are needed for many kinds of projects.   Organizations need compassionate people with a variety of talents.  Within every community there are people who could use a hand.  A quick internet search should help you get started or check out http://www.volunteerguide.org

Pageant contestants are sometimes labeled as shallow and materialistic. But I know that is a false stereotype, especially for contestants in the International Pageant system.  Their emphasis on volunteerism is part of what differentiates this organization.  In fact I choose this pageant specifically because it gave me a venue for sharing my passion of healing with art. 

During the pageant in July, I had the pleasure of meeting contestants who volunteered for a variety of non-profits and charities; from large national organizations to individual projects launched when a need was identified in the community.  If every contestant in the Miss division spent 8 hours volunteering, we would have provided 400 hours of service to others.  That kind of dedication can make a difference!

Krista Wanous