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KLB thanks volunteers
Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful Executive Director Karen Bell.

We all may have volunteered for something once or twice in our lifetime.  For me, volunteering comes naturally, and I truly believe God has put it on my heart to service.  You may think it is funny, but I have tried not to volunteer, and it never works.  Now, I am not complaining; I am just saying that when you have that desire to help others, you just do it!  I raised my son, Bryan, and now my grandson Bryce, to treat others with respect and to help out whenever they can. Ok, they do get "Volunteered by Me" a lot, or "Voluntold." Still, they do it, and I believe that makes them a better person and an asset to this community. 

 

Being involved in your community, such as with your local church, school, and organizations like Keep Liberty Beautiful, can make a difference for where you live and how you live.  I found that to be true while I was in the military and being station at different bases.  When Soldiers contribute to the community in which they live, it benefited the city and the military base.  Volunteerism is good for the soul and heart, and I think it is something we all should strive to do. 

 

Here in Liberty County, we benefit from all the wonderful Keep Liberty Beautiful Volunteers. They give up their time to make a difference in our community. Keep Liberty Beautiful volunteers take care of our environment and encourage others to do so as well. We should celebrate the volunteers every day, and we were so honored to celebrate our volunteers last week.  Keep Liberty Beautiful, could not be the award-winning programming it is today without our KLB Staff, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and Advisory Board Members!  Who knew that volunteering could be such a positive experience not only for the person, who volunteers, but for the organization, and for the community benefiting from the involvement.

 

There is a considerable amount of research that demonstrates many compelling benefits of volunteering for youth and adults.  In an article called "How Volunteer Work for Teens Works," by Eleanor Duse, it is noted that the benefits of volunteer work for anyone, of any age, and are virtually endless. Volunteer work increases people's understanding of other people's lives. It gives people a new outlook on the world and the problems others are faced with. I do like this benefit of volunteering, which is that there's no better cure for the blues than helping someone worse off than you are. I don't think they have to be worse off; it's just the joy of helping someone when they need it. 

 

I saw this in the article, and it's something I tell my young volunteers from Keep Liberty Beautiful, American Red Cross, and American Cancer Society, volunteering has additional bonuses. It looks fantastic on college applications, and sometimes it even makes you eligible for individual scholarship assistance, or financial aid.  Repeated or dedicated volunteer work, demonstrates that that person actually cares about changing the world and supporting their community.

 

Some other benefits that build character development noted in youth volunteering are:

  • Learning to respect others
  • Learning to be helpful and kind
  • Learning to understand and accept others who are different
  • Developing leadership skills
  • Developing patience
  • Developing citizenship skills

 

These benefits also strengthen the character development of adults too!  When families volunteer together, it is also a great way to stay connected and improves your community.   Keep Liberty Beautiful celebrating this year's 4,000 plus valuable volunteers at our Hollywood / Cookout Volunteer Appreciation, which had to be a Drive-Thru Party this year!  We had 90 volunteers signup to celebrate with us, and we did party J   It was a great time to ensure our volunteers knew they were the Stars they are!

 

 The highlight of the celebration was the gourmet Southern Sweets cookies made right here in Downtown Hinesville, and the excellent tasting McDonald's hamburgers and cheeseburgers from the Midway McDonald's location.  There were so many smiles and laughter that it warmed my heart!  If you would like to become a volunteer with Keep Liberty Beautiful or learn more about our programs, call (912) 880-4888 or email klcb@libertycountyga.com.  You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, or our website www.keeplibertybeautiful.org

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