Many students, including those at Florida A&M University, don’t realize the importance of volunteering for reasons other than fulfilling community service requirements. The governor’s commission Web site for Volunteer Florida, said Charlie Crist has named April as Florida Volunteer month for this reason.
Crist hopes to show Floridians how volunteering can have a positive impact on people’s lives and ensure that Floridians are engaged in their communities. With a campus the size of FAMU, we can set a trend for the state this month.
With all of the student activities taking place at the University, it wouldn’t hurt to make an effort for the names of these clubs and organizations to be associated with volunteering.
If students are performing low on tests, it’s our job to help them. We don’t necessarily have to be paid for this job.
The volunteer Florida Web site said that in 2006, research from the Corporation for National and Community Service indicated that 31.6 percent of women and 24.3 percent of men volunteered. These numbers leave a lot of room for improvement, and we have the power to make this happen.
We shouldn’t need to dedicate a month to give back to our community; it should be something we do year round. Unfortunately, many people don’t decide to share this view and need an incentive to do so.
Since the incentive is here now, people need to start taking it and just volunteer.
Christine Thomasos for the Editorial Board.