"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."  Booker T. Washington

VOLUNTEER SIOUX FALLS 2010 - September 25th.  Call 211 or visit www.helplinecenter.org!!

Kilian Community College encourages its students and staff to take an active role in making a positive difference in your community.  The best way is to give of your time through volunteer projects.

Reasons to Volunteer

• Gain valuable life experiences and skills:  Whether you build houses or volunteer at an animal shelter, you'll experience the real world through hands-on experiences.
• Meet interesting people:  Volunteering brings together a variety of people.  Both the recipient of your volunteer efforts and your co-workers can be a rich source of insight.
• Looks great on a resume:  Community service can be a big "wow" with interviewers.  It is even better if you can match your volunteerism to your career interests.
• Feel good about yourself:  The best reward is feeling liked you've made positive difference in someone's life.

There are countless opportunities!  Here are a few tips to get started.

• Visit your city's or town's website.  It may list opportunities close to home.
• Contact the United Way, Red Cross, or other associations that can point you in the right direction. 
• Check the local paper or phone book to see if volunteer groups or churches need help with projects.
• Finally check out the following websites:

Volunteer HelpLine: http://www.helplinecenter.org/ or call 211 or 605-339-4357.
Big Brothers Big Sisters:  www.bbbsse.org or 334-1632
Sioux Falls Humane Society:  http://www.sfhumanesociety.com
Volunteers of America:  http://www.voa-dakotas.org

Questions to Ask Before You Volunteer
It is important that you enjoy the type of service you choose and have the time for it.  Ask yourself and the organization these questions:

• How much time do I have to commit?
• Do I want a short term assignment, one time assignment or long term assignment?
• Which talents or skills do I need?
• What do I want to do as a volunteer?  (Work with people, animals, other projects)
• What are the working conditions of the volunteer project?