A Nod To Our Voilunteers

Unselfish and noble actions are the most radiant pages in the biography of souls.
--David Thomas

I shared this in 2007, but it's worth sharing again.

Back in the 1980's there was a major story on the cover of The Atlantic about cocaine use in America. According to the article, Americans were snorting, inhaling and poking one hundred billion dollars of cocaine into their bodies a year. Reading this stat incited me to write a letter to the editor about the bigger issue I believed it represented, an epidemic of selfishness. My letter to the editor was going to use the cocaine stat to illustrate how self-centered Americans were.

But the next morning, just before mailing this letter, I heard then-president Ronald Reagan say in a speech that Americans were the most generous people in the world and that Americans performed two hundred billion dollars worth of volunteer acts per year. On hearing this, I tore up my letter and realized it was true. There are two cultures side by side in this country. The one is generous with both their money and time. The article on cocaine shone a spotlight on a portion of the other group. But the volunteers never stopped volunteering, wherever the spotlights went.

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Volunteers are all around us, continuously making time to do things that help others and out community. Volunteers at the Damiano Center, Gospel Union and Salvation Army in Duluth feed countless people each year, a percentage for whom this is their only meal. Volunteers serve in our hospitals, in our churches and non-profit organizations, in our local arts community.

There are actually all kinds of activities that depend on volunteers. When I was involved in the regional stock car racing scene I was impressed by all the volunteers who made this form of entertainment possible for fans of the sport. I was surprised to learn that the ABC Raceway in Ashland was an all-volunteer staff. This was impressive.

There are groups that keep snowmobile trails safe, volunteers who perform emergency services -- fire, rescue work -- and the countless chaplains, counsellors, mentors, soccer and little league coaches. It is remarkable when you think about all the services provided by these unsung heroes.

Here are some quotes about volunteers that I found at quotegarden.com a few years ago.

Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer. ~Author Unknown

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. ~Cynthia Ozick

The world is hugged by the faithful arms of volunteers. ~Everett Mámor

It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference. ~Tom Brokaw

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For what it's worth, Duluth Dylan Fest is produced by a team of volunteers, aka the Bob Dylan Way Committee. Here's a big shout out to Don, Zane, Phil, Mike, Brad, Mark, Bill, Kathleen and everyone else who has stepped up and helped make make this week-long event a special occasion for all who come to celebrate Bob's birthday each May. And a special shout out to Miriam, host of Highway 61 Revisited show, from the John Bushey Studio at KUMD. You can find this year's schedule here.

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