A Small Deed for a Greater Cause, by Adrian Pascu, student at Vasile Alecsandri National College, Galati
Volunteer. Voluntary. Volunteering…..They all sound impressive, having a certain unselfish, humanitarian ring about them, don”t they? When we think of a volunteer we cannot stop but feel admiration towards the person for giving up his spare time to help others, without apparently receiving anything in return. Thus, we all see volunteering as a noble and honorable act, but the truth is that we are rather reluctant when it comes to springing into action ourselves. Is it because, in this materialistic world we live in, we believe that just one person cannot make a difference? Or is it because we find it easier to participate passively, just by lending moral support?
The right answer probably lies somewhere in between. In today”s society, when money governs everything and “makes the world go round”, volunteering may indeed seem utopic. This consumer based society is driven by a shallow value-system, where volunteering just does not fit in. For some it is hard to imagine people offering their services for free in order to help others. Nowadays material wealth is used to determine the social standing of each individual and, consequently, the more you give away to charity, the more unselfish and involved you appear to be. As a result, most people who lack the requisite financial resources, regard themselves as too insignificant to make a serious difference. This is a misconception we have to online casinos fight against.
Volunteering is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling problems and challenges that are present worldwide. The secret of a successful volunteer action is the combined effort of all the participants. Everyone can contribute their time, skills and knowledge, thus becoming a significant force in solving a problem or achieving a goal. Volunteering makes important economic and social contributions, leading to a more cohesive society by building trust and reciprocity among people.
Furthermore, volunteering can be both rewarding and challenging, as we are required to use our skills in new and diverse contexts. The “rewards” to be gained from the experience though, can often far outweigh any form of financial remuneration. Volunteer experiences often put us in different environments and make us interact with people whom we may never have met. Sharing common values with other volunteers inevitably means that we are likely to forge long-lasting friendships with some of them. In addition, nothing compares with that great sense of satisfaction we get from helping others who are less fortunate than us and from the gratitude that is shown to us as a result.
The fact is that volunteering has a tremendous impact on the world right now as we speak. Whether it is going to continue this way depends solely on us. We should not get discouraged by the way present day society regards volunteering and we ought to remember that every little act will eventually make a difference. So why not donate some of our spare time in order to help others? Why not volunteer?
Acest eseu este castigatorul unei mentiuni in cadrul 2011 Shakespeare School Essay Competition, grupa de varsta 15-19 ani, avand ca tema rolul si importanta voluntariatului. Premiul a constat intr-un cadou surpriza din partea librariei Carturesti, dictionare Cambridge/Oxford CD ROM sau album British Churches, de la Fischer International , un voucher pentru achizitionarea de articole sportive din Puma – Cotroceni, un voucher de reducere 50% la orice curs de vara de limba engleza la Shakespeare School, un rucsac si alte surprize din partea British Council Romania. Dorim sa il felicitam pe Adrian pentru faptul ca s-a evidentiat din peste 5100 de eseuri trimise la concursul national de creatie in limba engleza organizat de Shakespeare School si ii uram mult succes in continuare!
