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Help Yourself By Helping Others

BY TIFFANY HUGHES

Volunteering can be done in many ways, such as reading to a class at a local elementary school, helping at a church’s clothing closet, or walking dogs for a local shelter. The list could go on and on, but the bottom line is volunteering means helping someone else. While nonprofits and other organizations greatly benefit from help, it’s a two-way street — volunteers benefit from helping others, too.

Opportunities for Teens

High school students may need help in building their resume, for instance. Not only do service hours look good on college applications, they also show a student is community-minded, which goes a long way when scholarships are being awarded. In addition, volunteering often counts toward work experience, which is crucial when building a resume. Spending time helping at a museum, animal rescue or soup kitchen helps teens build social skills and gain self-confidence. Volunteering is a great way for teens to try out possible career fields, too.

Dylan Hughes dresses up as an elf at Forgotten Paws Dog Rescue’s Pictures With Santa.

It’s Not What You Know, But Who You Know

What if you aren’t a high school student, but have been out in the workforce for a while and want to make a career change? Just like those first entering the workforce, you’ll be expected to have experience. But, if you’re switching industries, it’s unlikely you’ll have experience in a different field. In this case, you could offer to volunteer or intern at a company you’re interested in. Simply by being present regularly, you’ll make contacts who could be invaluable in getting a job in that field.

Find Your Passion and Purpose

Another group that benefits from volunteering is retirees. No longer having a job to go to every day can be daunting to some. Helping out at a senior center or homeless shelter is a great way to get out of the house, meet new people and feel purposeful. By having an activity to look forward to, you can overcome the stay-at-home doldrums you might be experiencing as a new retiree or as a widow/widower.

Making a Connection

So, what do you do when you’ve decided to volunteer but aren’t sure where to go? If there’s a particular business, nonprofit or school you’re interested in, contact them directly. Otherwise, browse social media for pages specific to your interests. Search for local dog rescues, garden clubs, art museums, etc. Some clubs, such as rotary clubs and master gardeners, are service specific as well. (JustServe.org is a free, nationwide website and app that matches volunteers with opportunities. Read more on Page 18.)

Once you’ve decided where you’re going to focus your efforts, reach out to the organization about volunteer needs. It’s important to make sure to match what you’re interested in doing with what the organization needs done. For instance, if you’re only interested in administrative work, such as stuffing envelopes, make sure you don’t volunteer at an organization that does everything digitally.

Conversely, you also may find opportunities that aren’t onsite. You might be able to provide a service an organization needs, such as building a website or creating fliers for its events. Off-site help also could mean fostering a dog or cat for a local rescue or shelter. Matching your interests and skills with an organization’s needs is mutually beneficial.

Tiffany Hughes holds her foster fur baby, Nellie, on the day she was adopted by her forever family.

What to Expect Before Volunteering

Once you’ve signed up to volunteer, you can expect to have a background check done (if you’ll be working with children) and some sort of orientation. You’ll learn what the organization expects of you, and its policies and procedures for what you’ll be doing. The most important thing to remember while you’re working is to always be enthusiastic about what you’re doing. This is especially vital if you hope to get a job at the organization or in that industry. A dedicated volunteer will get more attention when applying for a job versus one who was lackluster in his or her performance.

Connect With Your Volunteer Manager

A volunteer manager is a great resource especially if you’re a student or applying for a job. He or she can be a reference for scholarships and college applications, and a valuable contact for new job opportunities that might open up. Maintaining good communication with your volunteer manager is key to your volunteer experience.

Volunteering is a win-win for the volunteer and the organization. Get a head start on National Volunteer Month in April, and show a local organization how great you can be by helping them.

Tiffany Hughes is an Acworth resident and works for the Booth Western Art Museum. Contact her at creativecook11@yahoo.com.

County Awarded Grant to Launch Share the Care Program

A grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission has allowed Cobb Senior Services (CSS) to launch a new financial assistance program for Cobb County residents age 60 and older. The Share the Care program can aid with prescriptions, medical supplies, hearing, dental and vision services for eligible residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury or other neurological conditions.

The program will provide limited financial assistance with vouchers up to $2,000 based on requested services. Assistance is based on available funding.

In Search of a New Career in 2022?

WorkSource Cobb/CobbWorks offers a variety of training programs, workshops and on-site recruitments for numerous companies. Discover what is being offered in your area, and take advantage of what your local career center has to offer, to help you prepare for your next career. Select your Labor Market Region or your local Career Center at https://atlworks.org to find events and recruitments in your area.

Houston Receives Certificate of Excellence

Acworth Alderman Lawrence T. Houston Sr. received the Certificate of Excellence from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Cities United Summit in Atlanta.

The institute provides a nationally recognized series of training opportunities for city officials. To receive a Certificate of Excellence, a city official must complete a minimum of 120 units of credit, including at least 54 hours from a list of required courses and the Robert E. Knox, Jr. Municipal Leadership Institute. The training program consists of a series of more than 70 courses.

Test Kit Distribution Deemed a Success

Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid joined volunteers from the county and the NAACP to distribute 1,000 at-home COVID-19 test kits at a recent giveaway event at Jim R. Miller Park. “I just want to thank the NAACP for their partnership and our staff for helping produce this virtually in response to COVID-19,” Cupid said. More test kits are on the way after being delayed by winter weather and short supplies. Watch emails and social media for news about future giveaways.

Wreaths Across America National Tour Stops in Marietta

Wreaths Across America (WAA) in Marietta is proud to announce a local stop for the WAA Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE) national tour. The free event, which is open to the public, is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 14 at the Cobb County Civic Center at 548 S. Marietta Parkway in Marietta. The MEE brings together the local community, veterans, active-duty military and their families through interactive exhibits, short films and shared stories. It also educates visitors about the service and sacrifice of the nation’s heroes and serves as an official “welcome home” station for Vietnam veterans.

WAA is the nonprofit organization best known for placing wreaths on veteran’s headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. And in 2021, the organization placed more than 2.4 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths at more than 3,100 participating locations nationwide. www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.

Mayor Tommy Allegood presents the proclamation to, from left, Darla Valentini, Regent Beverly Baker and Jane Bentley.

DAR Members Celebrate Georgia Day

Liberty Hill Chapter DAR members Darla Valentini, Regent Beverly Baker and Jane Bentley accepted the 2022 Georgia Day Proclamation from Mayor Tommy Allegood. Georgia Day is the commemoration of the colonial founding of Georgia.

Cobb’s Green Fleet Recognized for Innovations

Cobb County’s fleet management has been ranked No. 10 in the 2021 NAFA Green Garage Contest. The Green Fleet Awards is open to government and commercial fleets in North America.

The fleets are awarded for innovations such as using permeable pavement, pit-less vehicle lifts, natural lighting and fluid collection systems, and making use of more nontoxic plant-based cleaners, degreasers and lubricants.

The concept of the Green Garage Contest is to bring together the most progressive and environmentally committed fleets to share best practices for eco-friendly vehicle fleet maintenance garages.

Susan Tillery Bob Bonstein Dan Buyers Terri Bunten-Guthrie Trish Pagan

Community Foundation Adds 5 Board Members

Cobb Community Foundation (CCF) has added five new members to the board of directors to help support its mission to inspire charitable giving and to build resources for the future.

The new board members, who began their two-year terms Jan. 1, are: Bob Bonstein, retired health care software development and IT consult; Dan Buyers, partner at McWhirter Realty Partners; Terri Bunten-Guthrie, vice president of business development officer at Smith and Howard CPAs and Advisors; Trish Pagan, vice president for Air Mobility and Maritime Missions, International Programs at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., and Susan Tillery, CPA, president and CEO of Paraklete Financial Inc. and president of Financial Planning Advocate LLC.

Highest Certification for Green Efforts

Cobb County has achieved the highest level of certification as a platinum-level Green Community. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s Green Communities program helps local governments implement measures that will reduce their environmental impact.

Some measures that earned Cobb certification points include setting up a wildlife and rain garden demonstration site; providing fueling stations for electric, biodiesel and propane-powered vehicles; adopting new sustainability practices policies; incorporating green space, community uses and historic preservation into the Green Meadows Preserve, and offering 80 miles of trails.