The work necessary to be a volunteer

Nichole Fanara
The Silhouette

I have mixed feelings about volunteer work, mostly because it can be used and abused by the people who already have enough money and power. But I hope to inspire you, student, to look for something to be passionate about, to apply for an exec position next year, and to keep the good work alive at Mac.

Volunteer work for the sake of volunteer work. There is just some work that is too important to not be done, and yet a paycheck is not involved. These are the things that make us who we are - the free work we do. These are the stories that give us a passionate heart and a compassionate mind, and a sense of being needed, of giving back. And in University, working two jobs, homework, and volunteer work is almost impossible. It can feel thankless. But hold on there, the bright side is coming.

When you give back to the community and don’t ask for anything in return, your web of inspiration falls so deep and touches so many hearts that you can’t possibly see or understand how far it rippled. Volunteer work makes the world go around. It gives people a chance to connect; it helped me understand the importance of sticking with a cause even if the cause isn’t something affecting me personally. No matter what, there is volunteer work out there somewhere for you to do, and even if you’re looking for pay and can’t find it, this could be a good way to realize your potential. McMaster has a million and one places to put your volunteer time. Imagine all the people waiting to meet you, to be inspired by you, to feel less exhausted looking into eagerness and content as you all work together and do something good.

We are lucky. McMaster University has one of the biggest volunteer bases in Ontario, with clubs about virtually anything that will connect you to all kinds of passions and people. I’ve seen words of wisdom shared through cursive letters, galas for those less privileged than the perfectly able-bodied, even working shifts at the Ronald McDonald House next door to our campus.

Sometimes volunteer work doesn’t feel worth it. You can lose your focus when the work you put into running a society drains goodness from other places in your life. Sometimes you put all your efforts into campaigns that become less than what you expected. Remember who you are doing it for, remember why you keep it going, and understand that by doing work like this, you’re making a difference in so many different lives that you could not map it out. You’ll see, one day, when a thank you comes from someone you barely know, just how far out of your personal bubble your helpful hand has reached.

Keep on reaching, volunteers.