Arvin M.

Pimentel

Volunteerism

Since we are in elementary grade, we are already taught

the importance of volunteering and how it solves many
problems in society. We hear the word volunteerism a lot and
how it helps others and how it can also be helpful to ourselves,
but what is the real meaning of volunteerism?

In a book by James D. Wright, he stated that

Volunteerism is a form of helping in which people actively seek
out opportunities to assist others in need, make considerable and
continuing commitments to provide assistance, and sustain these
commitments over extended periods of time, often at considerable
personal cost. For example, unlike the helping that occurs
spontaneously in response to emergencies, volunteers typically
seek out opportunities to help. And majority of the people thinks
about kindness, compassion, zeal, necessity, irresistibility,
magnanimity, angels, lifesavers, and heroes, those are few terms
that come to peoples mind when talking about volunteers.
While I personally think that volunteers aren’t that noble
and selfless. Like most of us, they also seek something in return
for their efforts. It may just be for their own self-satisfaction, to
make themselves believe that they are better than others, or to just
pass time. Whatever it may be, volunteerism isn’t about not
expecting anything in return, it’s just not asking for something
tangible like money.

Beliefs about volunteerism may be different, but one thing

is for sure, it is beneficial for the society and is needed in order to
build a strong foundation of a community.