Bush's challenge to volunteer is right, just not right enough

Without question, volunteering is growing in momentum - even if in fits and starts. Just a few hours ago, President Bush remarked on the topic of volunteers and volunteerism as part of a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. He was exhorting Americans to continue to volunteer, with a goal of 4000 volunteer hours over a lifetime in service to both neighbours and nation.

"And some are saying, 'Well, maybe I don't need to volunteer. Maybe the crisis has passed.' The aftermath of 9/11 isn't nearly as intense as it was," Bush said. "My call to people is: there's always a need. You should be volunteering not because of 9/11, you should be volunteering because our country needs you." (The Associated Press)

Turns out Americans gave 8.1 billion hours, worth more than 158 billion dollars, in 2007. Bush claims that this high rate of volunteerism is due in part to his 2002 creation of the USA Freedom Corps, a program that helps connect people to volunteer opportunities. It also helps bolster the many national service programs that existed before Bush took office. Since the program started, White House stats report that the number of volunteers has jumped by more than 1 million people.

However, even with the one million gain since 2002, there was a 6% drop between 2006 and 2007. Stats are funny that way, they can seemingly make two opposite points at the same time.

Volunteering as a concept no longer belongs only to religion or activism. Rather, it belongs to each of us, and as we see a rise in need throughout the world, we feel a sense of responsibility toward our fellow humans. Natural disasters have time and again occasioned a sense of global grief, and millions have chosen to respond by volunteering in one way or another - believing, in the words of Bob Dylan, “you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” Unfortunately, while Dylan has the right idea....it’s just not right enough. If our focus remains solely on the need of the other, rather than the dire needs constant within our own souls, our service will ebb and flow with the disasters that come and go. Through a lifestyle of volunteering, rather than a moment of service motivated by a temporary need, we experience invaluable personal growth and transformation. And as we are transformed, we become better for our fellow humans. Service must be selfish. When we know what we get, we will give consistently - no longer dictated by the ebb and flow of global needs.

For a more detailed explanation of this try reading Why People Hate Volunteering!