April represents volunteer month

The many dedicated volunteer workers across the United States are celebrated throughout April’s National Volunteer Month.

National Volunteer Month is a very busy time for the Georgia College & State University Involved in Volunteer Efforts (GIVE) Center.

From Earth Day and Special Olympics Spring Games to Relay for Life, volunteers are active throughout the month.

Kendall Stiles, GIVE Center director, is proud to work with GC&SU and the Milledgeville community.

“I think we are a model for other schools when they look at all of the volunteer work that we are doing here at GC&SU,” said Stiles.

National Volunteer Month was kicked off at the end of March with a conference at GC&SU where other Georgia universities were educated about service learning.

“I feel that it was a great opportunity for us at GC&SU to let other schools see what we’re all about, as far as our community service and service learning work is concerned,” said Stiles. “It was a great chance for us to showcase what we’re doing and to learn more about what other schools are doing with their community service.”

Volunteers at GC&SU are honored by the GIVE Center for their hard work and devotion at the ‘Cheers to Volunteers’ awards ceremony held at the end of each semester.

Kim Benfield, GIVE Center undergraduate assistant, feels that volunteering is a great way for college students to become involved in the community.

“Volunteer work helps to strengthen the bond between the university and the community,” said Benfield. “The ‘Cheers to Volunteers’ awards ceremony is the way we recognize and show appreciation for people who have done outstanding work throughout the semester.”

A variety of events take place during National Volunteer Month, offering the chance to highlight the generous work of volunteers.

A very important project to the GIVE Center and the community as a whole is Relay for Life. This 24-hour event serves as a fundraiser for cancer research.

Benfield promotes faculty and students becoming involved in Relay for Life.

“We all know someone who has been affected by cancer, so it is an event for all of us to participate in,” said Benfield. “Anyone can sign up with their club, sorority or fraternity and help with the fight against cancer. It’s a cause that is important to all of us, and Relay for Life is so well known now that it’s easy to become involved.”

Many students participated in Relay for Life in high school, but lost contact with the event after coming to GC&SU.

Sophomore Christin Robins is glad to know she can participate in the event away from home.

“Relay for Life is a lot of fun, and it means so much to help raise money for cancer research,” said Robins. “It feels good to know I can help someone else.”

Benfield encourages students to find a volunteer effort close to them and really dig in.

“Volunteering plays an important role in providing experience to college students,” said Benfield. “Employers look for people with various experiences, so it can be very beneficial for students to start volunteering early.”

For more information on volunteer opportunities on campus or in the community, contact the GIVE Center at 445-5936.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 4 2003. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry