In light of recently celebrating National Volunteer Week, it's fitting to reflect on what turns the cogs of the volunteer wheel. We know there exists an abundance of philanthropic organizations and service-based agencies that churn out civic-minded heroes committed to making the world a better place. But what keeps those volunteers coming back for another go around? What is it about those organizations--American Red Cross or the Arthritis Foundation, for example--which consistently and commendably shape and empower the volunteers of their agencies year after year?

Certainly, volunteers’ altruistic tendencies and desire to connect with community factor into this success. But more importantly? Recognition.

It's easy to think of the Volunteer and Paid sectors of the world as binary, treating them as independent and distinguishably different entities. The motivations for each seem different (not making money vs. making money) and the structure seems different (free time vs. full-time), but I believe that volunteers have more in common with paid staff than we might recognize on a day-to-day basis, and this could shed light on the ways we appreciate our volunteers.

Volunteers, like paid workers-- like humans in general, for that matter--appreciate a sense of contribution, productivity, and accomplishment. They like to see that at the end of the day/term/season, their work paid off. And to get that sense, their work must be recognized and credited to the volunteers who make things possible. This might mean a newsletter announcing a number of pre-schoolers with new shoes, or people fed at a soup kitchen. Numbers like those mean something: they mean happier homes and stronger schools; they mean less pollution and fewer hungry people. Just as importantly, they mean that the volunteers who committed their time and energy made a difference. The statistics speak volumes about the volunteers who made it all possible.

Annually, the Whatcom Volunteer Center hosts an ice cream social event called Heart and Hands, so named for the willingness of the people it honors to lend their heart and hands to bettering our community. This year, in Bellingham alone, we honored 90 outstanding citizens. Some contributed over 100 hours of service; others acquired seemingly impossible grant funds, or changed the structure of an organization into a working and sustainable nonprofit.

The sense of pride in community and ambition to continue the generosity was evident. Consider it a pep rally, if you will. The fact stands: whether a stage and certificate are present, or the gratitude comes merely in a Thank-you card, we know that progress reports come in many forms. Hearts, hands, and headway alike must all be recognized.

You can make a difference every day by volunteering. Call 734-3055, stop by Whatcom Volunteer Center, or visit us on the web at www.whatcomvolunteer.org.