CMYK

A6 Thursday, April 13, 2023 Livingston County News

When is the right time for How to find the right

kids to start volunteering?
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
Aristotle once said the essence
oIt’s well documented that vol-
unteerism offers many benefits
to those who are recipients of
the charitable work as well as the
volunteers.
According to The Corporation
for National & Community Ser-
vice, one in four Americans vol-
unteers. Volunteers come from
all walks of life and various age
groups. Nearly one-quarter of all
volunteers are people younger
than the age of 24.
Parents and guardians who
want to introduce their children
to volunteerism may not know
when is the right age to do so.
Many experts agree that there
isn’t a definitive age for children
to get involved in volunteering.
No child is too young to volun-
teer. Joseph F. Hagan Jr., M.D.,
a clinical professor of pediatrics
at Larner College of Medicine at
the University of Vermont, says
helping out during the toddler
and preschool years helps shape
a child’s sense of morality.
Rather than wondering if a
child is too young to volunteer,
adults should focus on finding the
right activity to match the child’s
age. For example, a three- or
four-year-old child can fill bags
or boxes with donated food or
Children are never too young to volunteer. Finding the
right fit can inspire a lifetime of giving back that ben-
efits youngsters throughout their lives.
help gather blankets and towels
to donate to an animal rescue.
However, a toddler or preschool-
er may not have the stamina to
complete a 5K walk.
Volunteerism doesn’t even
have to be in the traditional sense
of working with an established
charity. A youngster can pick
flowers from a field and deliv-
er them to an elderly neighbor.
Or a preschooler can invite a
child playing alone to come play
together. A toddler who loves
sorting items can help sort recy-
cling items at home and watch a
parent deliver them to the recy-
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
cling center.
Another way to engage kids in
volunteer work is to match their
interests with the tasks. Many
kids can’t get enough of ani-
mals, so they may want to help
out an animal organization or
be involved with a conservation
group. A child can collect change
to “adopt” an endangered spe-
cies.
Kids also can visit a chil-
dren’s hospital and deliver gifts
to youngsters battling illnesses.
In such situations, kids may be
more engaged if they help kids
their own ages.
volunteer opportunity for you
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
Giving back to one’s community can pro-
vide a sense of purpose and improve an indi-
vidual’s overall well-being.
Data from Volunteer Hub indicates that
people who volunteer improve their health
by strengthening their bodies, improving
their moods and reducing stress.
Volunteerism also produces additional
benefits, including boosting one’s positive
perception to others. A study from Career-
Builder found 60 percent of hiring managers
see volunteerism as a valuable asset when
making recruitment decisions. Furthermore,
human resources executives attest that con-
tributing to a nonprofit can improve leader-
ship skills.
By understanding the value behind volun-
teer work – for the people or organization on
the receiving end as well as the volunteer –
more individuals may decide to donate their
time and services. However, finding the right
volunteer opportunity may take some trial
and error. The following are some tips for
finding the right fit.
n Consider skills and interests. Before
choosing a volunteer opportunity, make a list
of activities that you enjoy. This may help
guide volunteer choices. For example, if you
like hiking, you may volunteer to clean up a
local park.
n Assess your skill levels. Is there some-
thing you are particularly adept at doing?
For example, if you are a certified public
accountant, you may be able to volunteer
by mentoring young accounting students,
Volunteering can bring joy
to one’s life, especially
when individuals find an
inspiring opportunity.
or doing taxes or bookkeeping tasks for the
elderly or less fortunate.
n Think about commitment level. Figure
out how much time you can spend volunteer-
ing. Maybe you only have the weekends or
a few hours in the evenings? Understanding
how much free time you have can help you
choose opportunities that fit within these
parameters.
n Research potential organizations. Not
all nonprofit groups are created equal. Uti-
lize resources such as CreativeVolunteer that
vet charitable groups to determine if they are
trustworthy.
n Define your goals. Have goals in mind
when selecting opportunities. Defining a
goal can help you maintain the motivation
to volunteer and see a project through to
completion.
n Start small. Wade into a volunteer
opportunity slowly to see if it is the right
fit. This may include volunteering one day a
week or month. Increase the time you spend
volunteering once you’ve found the right
place for you.
Volunteering can bring joy to a person’s
life, especially when individuals find an
inspiring opportunity.

Celebrating
our many
Wonderful
Community
Volunteers!
All Babies Cherished would like to
thank our dedicated volunteers for
“Offering help for the Journey” serving all year long.
Your commitment to our ministry
A special Thank You to our Volunteers, is a true blessing!
for helping us so we can help others!
For information regarding serving at
Join our team and make a difference! All Babies Cherished
(585) 345-0417 • geneseecancerassistance.org Please Contact Sue Sherman at 585-344-5660.
THANK YOU
to all our wonderful
“Our Volunteers are Changing Lives” volunteers that help
in our cafeteria and
with our fundraising
THANK YOU efforts!
TO OUR HOME VISITATION
PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS! St. Joseph
Regional School
For your dedication and invaluable
2 Summit St., Batavia
effort in helping older adults stay 585-343-6154
connected at home. www.sjsbatavia.org

Call today to learn more about

receiving services or to volunteer!
585.343.0614

Volunteering Builds Communities

We are ready anytime! | “IT’S WHAT WE DO”

78 Years in Business

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • AGRICULTURAL

Trusted. Reliable. Professional.

Richard Wendt, President
Fully Insured & Free Estimates
128 Cedar St. Batavia, NY • 585-343-2400 / 585-356-4300
RAHAITZ.COM
 CMYK

Livingston County News Thursday, April 13, 2023 A7

State grant to aid county

Families visit one of the agencies participating in the 2022 Livingston County Safety and
Wellness Fair on the county’s Murray Hill campus.
Safety Fair set to return May 20
BY THE LCN STAFF
MOUNT MORRIS – The
Livingston County Safety and
Wellness Fair returns May 20
to the county’s Murray Hill
campus.
The fair is scheduled from
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cor-
nell Cooperative Extension of
Livingston County, 3 Murray
Hill Drive.
Those attending may visit
with a variety of vendors,
including representatives of
local non-profit agencies.
Activities include balloon
animals, crafts, a sidewalk
chalk art competition, and
free food.
The awards ceremony for
the animal Safety on Wheels
Contest takes place at noon.
There will be free bike hel-
met giveaways while supplies
last.
Certified child safety seat
technicians will be available
to make sure car seats are safe
and installed properly.
For older adults, the CarFit
Program will be available
Livingston County News File Photo
by appointment. CarFit is
an educational program that
offers older adults the oppor-
tunity to check how well their
personal vehicles “fit” them.
The Safety and Wellness
Fair is free and open to the
public.
Additional details will be
announced as the event nears.
For more information, con-
tact Traffic Safety Program
Educator Barbara Sturm via
email to bbs28@cornell.edu
or by calling (585) 991-5432.
nutrition programs
BY THE LCN STAFF
MOUNT MORRIS – The
Livingston County Depart-
ment of Health has been
awarded more than $3.8
million in a grant by the
New York State Depart-
ment of Health through the
state’s Special Supplemen-
tal Nutrition for Women,
Infants and Children pro-
gram.
The county will receive
$3,859,500, provided at
$771,900 annually for five
years, to assist with the
county’s award-winning
WIC program while also
providing financial support
for the county’s Breastfeed-
ing Peer Counseling Pro-
gram.
The Women, Infants and
Children program is a fed-
eral supplemental nutrition
program that provides nutri-
tion education, monthly
benefits for healthy foods,
referrals and breastfeed-
ing support. WIC provides
these services to eligible
infants, children up to age
five, pregnant women,
breastfeeding women and
postpartum women.
“We are grateful to have
been awarded funding to
support these critical pro-
grams in our area,” said Jen-
nifer Rodriguez, Livingston
County public health direc-
tor. “This grant will allow
us to continue to make a
significant impact on the
lives of mothers and their
young children and ensure
that their health-related
needs are met.”
The Livingston-Wyoming
WIC Program received the
Gold Level Breastfeeding
Award of Excellence from
the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture for its
breastfeeding promotion
and support of the Women,
Infants and Children pro-
gram. The Breastfeeding
Award of Excellence is part
of the USDA’s effort to rec-
ognize local WIC agencies
that have provided exem-
plary breastfeeding promo-
tion and support in their
communities. The award is
intended to provide a model
for and to motivate local
agencies to strengthen their
breastfeeding promotion
and support activities, thus,
increase breastfeeding and
breastfeeding duration rates
among WIC participants.
WIC serves to safeguard
the health of low-income
pregnant, postpartum, and
breastfeeding women,
infants, and children up to
age 5 who are at nutritional
risk by providing nutritious
foods to supplement diets,
information on healthy eat-
ing including breastfeed-
ing promotion and support,
and referrals to health care.
More information about
WIC can be found at www.
fns.usda.gov/WIC.
For more information on
Livingston-Wyoming WIC,
go to https://www.living-
stoncounty.us/193/WIC or
call (585) 243-7530 or text
855-479-4129 to make an
appointment and receive
services.

g
The Board and Staff of the
Holland Land Office
Museum would like to
thank our volunteers
y for all they do.

!
If you are interested in volunteering at the
HLOM, please contact us at the number below.
(585) 343-4727 • 131 W. Main St., Batavia

AmeriCorps Seniors
Bringing out the Best of America for 38 years

THANK YOU!
Volunteer opportunities for
people 55 years and older

585.343.1611
AmeriCorps Seniors is made possible by AmeriCorps,
NYS Office for the Aging and the Genesee County Legislature