It is hot out. There is no denying the temperature. And although you want to maintain a healthy balance of work and play, sometimes Mother Nature can make healthy activity tough. But here is the good news, the art of “giving back” could give you a healthy dose of…well…health.
“Volunteering is the new hybrid health club for the 21st century that’s free to join,” says Thomas H. Sander, executive director of the Saguaro Seminar at Harvard University. “It miraculously improves both your health AND the community’s through the work performed and the social ties built.”
Although we’ve always known volunteering is good for the soul, new scientific research says it’s good for your body too. "Volunteering makes the heart grow stronger," says David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Not only the heart, but according to the Corporation, volunteerism creates greater longevity, higher functional ability, and lower rates of depression.
The local conclusion – Lynchburg City School volunteers are in tip-top shape. During the 2010-2011 school year 2,649 volunteers did 54,673 hours worth of work. The school board heard the annual report during their second July meeting and praised the community for investing its time in the school division. Using minimum wage, per hour, these volunteers contributed $396,379 worth of in-kind work. "One of the most important factors separating average school systems from excellent school systems is the level of parent and community engagement" said Charles White, Lynchburg City Schools Board chairman. "Lynchburg has enjoyed a long tradition of success in public education, and our dedicated community volunteers deserve a great deal of credit for upholding and preserving our tradition of excellence. The Lynchburg School Board thanks each of our volunteers for their contributions and looks forward to meeting our future challenges together. The need for community support for public education has never been greater."
Click here if you would like to learn more about volunteering for Lynchburg City Schools.