Volunteerism fatigue
Volunteering has been regarded in the United States as a basic need for many organizations to work and prosper. Hospitals, schools, libraries depend on local residents to contribute with their time to alleviate the lack of funding or personnel in order to continue operating.
For years I have been promoting doing volunteer work in a place that interests you for potential employment. The company gets to know you and your abilities while you learn about the firm and the job. You may decide that you don’t want to work there on a full-time basis.
Many studies have shown that volunteering is good for your health. When done from the heart, giving of your time could improve your wellbeing, lowering your blood pressure, reducing stress and living a longer life – but only if it’s done to help others, not to feel better about one self.
There are many mental health benefits, too. Whether helping organize a community event or regularly at some institution, helps control depression.
Recently, it has been found that people are not contributing as in years past due to volunteerism fatigue. It is not a new disease but a different state of mind. We are being bombarded from so many fronts that we are almost becoming desensitized to the needs around us.
When it comes to funds, the United Nation’s World Food Program, has said that the global community has faced so many natural disasters in recent years that they have noticed the reduction in contributions. They call it donor fatigue but it could be donor competition since there are so many more people are running fundraisers.
Telemarketers have had a lot to do with that. There’s no hesitation to put down the telephone when the voice at the other end is asking for money. We don’t even take the time to listen to who they are or for whom they are requesting it. We have forgotten our good manners by hanging up the phone without saying a word especially if we are doing something important when the telephone rings.
Then, there are the committees, commissions and partnerships where the same things are talked about for months and years and we never see any progress, wondering if our time is well spent in them. I was recently at one of those meetings and after listening to one hour of presentations, someone said, “We have done that 4 or 5 times already.” The answer was that they have used those findings in the creation of this “new one.”
This past weekend was particularly noticeable during the beautification of the Bellevue and St. Mary’s Cemeteries. In previous years there were over 200 volunteers for the Memorial Day preparations. Those numbers have been going down and this year the decrease was obvious.
When becoming overwhelmed by all of this, we tend to push away all the requests for our time or funding until we clear our minds. Pushing away may not be a healthy approach because we need the mental stimulation to live longer. Perhaps not answering the telephone is a good beginning and then being careful of giving our timely wisely.
Licensing Board Meeting
On Wednesday, May 25, the Lawrence Licensing Board will be meeting at City Hall at 6 PM. Roger Farah, who argued with the board members on April 27th for granting a Class 2 license to Carlos Reyes, at 135-137 Jackson St., has filed an appeal because the license was granted without zoning board approval.
Carlos Reyes the owner of Erick Auto Sales needed to apply to zoning first for the use prior to be issue a class 2 used car dealer license on that site.
The zoning bylaws clearly state that the used car dealer use is not permitted in any zoning district except in a business highway district.
Carlos Reyes is District B Councilor Estela Reyes’ brother. She advocated for this license during the previous meeting.
