Hello, Welcome to this edition of the Everyday Giving ezine. I attended the Arthritis Foundation's 2005 Development Conference last week in Dallas. I had a great time and learned some new things to apply to my fundraising events this coming year. There are a couple of things that took place that made the trip worthwhile. First, I met some wonderful Arthritis Foundation staff and volunteers from outside my local area. They were a lot of fun (especially those from Virginia) and were full of ideas. Second, the classes I attended gave me new ideas and increased my motivation to do even better things in the future. The training included topics such as committee recruitment, event logistics, and volunteer recognition. These topics may or may not excite you. They were just what I needed to help with the responsibilites that I currently have. If you have a chance to attend an event that relates to a cause you are passionate about, take advantage of the opportunity. Did I mention it was fun? During one of the sessions, we discussed the benefits of volunteering. I couldn't understand why anyone would not donate at least a small part of their time when the benefits were considered. So I included an article in this issue that lists several of the benefits you could experience from volunteering. I hope you enjoy it and it makes you think. If you know of someone else that could benefit from this ezine, please forward it to them. I would like to know if this ezine has been a help to you. You can always send me a note with your comments or questions to roger@everydaygiving.com. Thanks, Roger B. Carr "Mentor to the Rich of Heart"

by Roger Carr

We know that volunteering a portion of our time is something we should do. There are reminders all around us that our help is needed. Other people will significantly benefit from any time we contribute. But that is not the only reason to volunteer.

Have you thought about the benefits you will get from volunteering? If you consider the many benefits you will receive, you will be asking yourself why you aren't more involved with helping a cause. Consider these 18 reasons to volunteer some of your time:

1. To make new friends
2. To build personal and profesional contacts
3. To build your self-esteem and self-confidence
4. To develop new job skills
5. To make a difference in the world
6. To increase personal satisfaction
7. To add experience to your resume
8. To develop people skills
9. To develop communication skills
10. To do something as a family
11. To explore career possibilities
12. To feel needed and appreciated
13. To share your skills with others
14. To be challenged
15. To do something different
16. To earn academic credit
17. To improve your health
18. To have fun!

You will get more out of your volunteer experience than you put into it. Don't hesitate to identify and donate some of your time to a worthy volunteer opportunity. You will be glad you did.