Volunteering Pays Off

So, I've been volunteering to set up computers at my son's school in the morning for their barrage of annual testing. It's pretty much monkey work - push buttons and type the same words over and over for each computer. It sure isn't difficult, but it takes about 30 or 45 minutes to do a room, so I'm freeing up a staff person for other work.

I've discovered that there can be a ton of unexpected benefits to volunteering for short-term tasks like this...

• I see some of my son's friends and some scouts in a different setting.
• I'm walking to the school so I get 45 minutes of exercise each day.
• My son thinks its fun to walk with me because he gets to school early and helps push the buttons - extra time with him is always a good thing.
• The school staff seem to genuinely appreciate the help - it's good to feel appreciated.
• I wear a different one of my umpteen Scouting t-shirts each day, so I might be noticed by some non-scouting boy - no inquiries yet.

Church, school, and other community groups always seem to be looking for more volunteers. I've made my commitment to Scouting for now, so I usually have to turn down the other opportunities - they're usually long-term needs and I put way too many hours into Scouts. But, short-term tasks are a great way to help out and try something new. Give it a try!

Scout On