It is a very rare week when there is not a recognition for some organization or cause that results in a proclamation from the Lycoming County Commissioners. There is no lack of options, as by some counts, there are as many as ten to twelve such proclamations every day, week, and month! It starts with Polar Bear Plunge Day on January 1st to Make Up Your Mind Day on December 31st. And yes, there are the same kind of lists for weeks and months as well. However, there are actually only twenty annual special weeks recognized by presidential proclamation. These ones are not frivolous or quirky but highlight something that really and truly should be highlighted.

This definitely applies to the last week of April, which is designated as National Volunteer Week. A recognition week is badly needed, as volunteers have become an endangered species, and that is a documented fact. The University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy has just released a study entitled “The State of Volunteer Engagement: Insights from Nonprofit Leaders and Funders.” This documents that the bad news is worse than you think.

According to the study, there is a terrible vacuum among organizations that need volunteers across the nation. As many as two-thirds note they are in need of more volunteers to maintain the level of their operations, and of those, one-third may cease completely if the situation does not change. The report blames COVID-19 for much of this, but the problem has existed for years before this; the shutdowns just accelerated it.

Actually, the lack of volunteers has been a problem for decades. Though Volunteer Recognition Week was instituted by President Nixon in 1974, it was President George H. W. Bush who made American Volunteering the key point in his 1991 State of the Union Address. He called for a commitment to our country’s volunteer organizations doing good across the nation with a “thousand points of light.”

Retired folks in particular, should consider giving some time to their neighborhood organizations such as churches, libraries, food banks, youth sports clubs, the list goes on and on. For those still in their prime, organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Scouting, CASA, Neighborhood Watch, and Prison Visitation and Support are good examples of worthwhile causes that are always seeking new members or helpers.

But the number one organization that everyone should think about is the local volunteer fire company. Of Pennsylvania’s 2,462 fire companies, more than 90 percent are volunteer companies. No, it is not necessary to become an actual firefighter or EMT, although these are certainly needed badly. These companies also need to conduct fund-raising to keep going, and this is where volunteers come in. Every single one of these volunteer fire companies would appreciate those who would be willing to come out on a Friday night to help with bingo, or to bake some refreshments for a sale, or even clean up when an event is over. Even a little help is better than no help at all. State fire officials estimate that volunteer firefighters save Pennsylvania communities about $10 billion annually.

But more and more, volunteers are needed, not just in fire companies but throughout our society. This is especially important to Lycoming County. The Countywide Comprehensive Plan listed eight key priorities for the 2020 decade, and one of these was the need for volunteers. In fact, the heading of the plan states, “Volunteerism and civic engagement, particularly among young people, are insufficient to sustain community institutions and services.”

It was that statement that inspired me to want to make 2020 the “Year of the Volunteer.” My goal was to emphasize for the entire year the ‘heroes’ of volunteerism and the areas of greatest need. Unfortunately, COVID-19 showed up, and my dreams shut down.

But that only changes the circumstances and not the urgency. Everyone, even the homebound, can assist in some way or another. The great thing about volunteering is that it gives as much back to the volunteer as the volunteer gives to help.

Everywhere I go, I hear people complaining about the state of our country right now, and I have to agree we are going through some hard times. But as one person has said, “Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.”