The Benefits of Volunteering
By Anne Benthien

The FAAWIS Youth Community Service ended  2008 on a high note. What a fitting way to celebrate the joy of the Christmas season.  The group sang Christmas carols at St. Anne’s Nursing Home in Milwaukee and Silvernail Community Retirement Home in Waukesha on December 20th. Mr. and Mrs. Louis Crisostomo led the residents of Silvernail in welcoming the group.  Their eyes were beaming with joy as they expressed their heartfelt appreciation and complimented the youth choir presentation.  I sensed a mutual feeling of gratitude among our youth as they graciously acknowledged the compliments given by the residents. We are grateful to all the parents, who provided transportation and who encouraged their children to get involved.
    It is a humbling experience to work alongside the following parents who have been my strong supporters: Mario & Mimi Ballesteros, Ferdie & Gloria Ramos, Dr. Remy Baylon, Dr. Sandra Torres, Edgar and Rehmie Azcueta, Belinda Refuerzo-Tenorio, and Apolo & Lorna Guzman.  Considering that this was the first year of the Youth Community Service there were many noteworthy accomplishments. These were made possible because of you, our dear parents, who believed in the benefits of volunteering.
    In 2007, the Corporation for National and Community Service published an article entitled: “The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research.”  This article states that:
1) Those who engage in volunteer activities are less likely to sufferfrom ill health later in life and may be introduced into a positive reinforcing cycle of good health and future volunteering
2) States with higher volunteer rates are more likely to have lower mortality rates and a lower incidence of heart disease.
    In his book, “The Healing Power of Doing Good”,  writer Allan Luks found medical and scientific documentation supporting the health benefits of volunteering, such as:
a) A heightened sense of well-being.
b) An improvement in insomnia.  When one does community service it helps shift your focus from your own personal struggles and allows you to better realize that there are people much less fortunate.
c) A stronger immune system.
d) Speedier recovery from surgery.
    All of us lead busy lives, but the families who got involved this year put aside a few hours to help the less fortunate and at the same time enhanced their own health and well-being through the joys and benefits of community service.