Throughout the State, It's Always Better to Give Than Receive

As Anne Frank says, "No-one has ever become poor by giving."

Such a true statement! So often we make excuses to not give of our time, talents, or resources. There can be a number of different excuses for why we choose to not participate in giving. I have a tendency to be frugal at times, so I'm sure that has played a role at times in my life. For so many years, the more often excuse I used was being too busy with work, family and other endeavours. What I've learned though is that the more one gives, the more successful one ends up being in the other aspects of their lives. I am a firm believer that being balanced is the key to be healthy and happy.

So what can we do... Well, here locally in the state, we are blessed to have such a great community and many charitable organisations in place. One that I'd recommend we become familiar with is SL County Volunteer Services.

SL County Volunteer Services aims to engage, promote, and enhance volunteerism throughout the County. SL County has a plethora of opportunities for anyone that is willing to help build a stronger community. There is no target age group - From youth to seniors, college students to families, there's something we can all do to help. Below is some interesting information on the volunteer efforts here locally.

2015 SL County Volunteer Statistics:
Nearly 18,000 volunteers
Over 718,000 hours
Worth nearly $17,000,000

** There were enough volunteer hours to account for ~350 full time employees

Salt Lake County Volunteer Services Website: http://slco.org/volunteer/

Article written by Ryan Van Wagenen. Ryan Van Wagenen is a Cottonwood Heights resident who has recently retired and is now looking to spend the majority of his time participating in philanthropy.