Joy of Volunteering
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
By: Michelle Wiginton

Our monthly guest blogger, Kate Holmes of www.HowToConsign.com, knows the joys of volunteering. In addition to community volunteering, Kate’s life-long experience (she’s a second-generation second-hander, having “inherited” the knack from her mother) translates well on her free web sites and blogs. She’s a long-time workshop presenter and conference organizer for the resale industry’s trade association and has won awards for her volunteer work. “And friends,” Kate adds. “The biggest joy of volunteering is the good, life-long friends I have made.” Kate is the author of the best-selling manual,Too Good to be Threw The Complete Operations Manual for Resale & Consignment Shops .

 

 

The Joys of Volunteering

 

You’re a busy woman, with children, chores, job and hobbies. Your calendar is full. Why would you want to volunteer at a JBF sale?

 

Well, sometimes it’s about the thrill of the hunt. After all, our volunteers get to shop our sales before the general public does. And who can deny us the excitement of first dibs on all the great stuff every JBF event has?

 

But beyond the merely monetary, there’s the joy of volunteering for your community’s sake. All those reasons you have for not volunteering melt away when you realize that for a specific and short length of time, you can help your community in a tangible way. Think about it: you’re helping keep down the cost of raising healthy and happy kids in your town; you’re uniting the parents of your area together; you’re even helping preserve the ecology by recycling! All this in addition to making and saving money for the smallest community you belong to: your own family.

 

Volunteering can be an adventure too. Reaching out to others brings you into a new environment where you might learn something that will influence your life down the line. Getting out into the world can give you untold gifts and change your whole way of thinking and doing. It could show you new interests, suggest new hobbies, or even lead you to a new career.

 

And what could be more fun than volunteering to help organize the cutest kidstuff ever? Well, nothing, except doing it in the company of new friends! If you’ve ever felt like there must be someone out there who thinks just like you do, who has the same concerns and loves the same things you do...you’re right. And where better to find a new friend or two or three than during a JBF volunteer shift? You could go home with not only a great deal or two but a new circle of folks who’ll make your life a joy.

 

It all boils down, I think, to three things. Helping your community in a visible way, expanding your personal boundaries and making friends. Who can’t find a few hours to discover all three of those? It’s a great way to spend a little time, give a little... and get a lot back.

 

Speaking of making friends, don’t neglect the ones you have. Pass on the word about our sale to everyone you know. Friends, neighbors, members of your social groups and clubs. Chances are, they’ll be interested in consigning or buying. And, if you have a friend with some things to sell or some things she needs...volunteer to show her how easy and fun and profitable a JBF event can be!

 

Consignment guru Kate Holmes of Too Good to be Threw offers good consigning and shopping advice to eco- and economy-conscious consumers at www.HowToConsign.com

Comments

Beautifully put! I think so many of us have the idea that we have to be wealthy or have loads of free time in order to do volunteer work or help our communities. The truth is, if we all just stepped up and started realizing all of the little things we could do instead of making excuses about what we can't do, the result would be a much closer knit, safer and happier community! An added benefit at JBF is that you get to help the community WHILE helping your own family!

Christina, Wednesday, February 24, 2010

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