Performing community service is about as fun as having a root canal while taking a final exam in calculus, right? Wrong!
Try some of these projects, and you’ll see how fun volunteering can be.
1. Become a camp counselor for younger kids
Yes, it can be tiresome to run after a bunch of rowdy kids, but you’ll get to go to camp for a free or reduced price! Plus, since you’ll be volunteering all day long, your community service hours will add up quickly!
2. Join a community service organization at school
Investigate if your high school offers clubs such as Key Club, Interact Club or Sparrow Club.
When you join a service club, you’ll have dozens of opportunities to get involved with volunteering. You’ll also make new friends who go to the same school as you. You can even run to become a club officer.
3. Paint faces at a carnival or elementary school fair
You’ll need to buy materials, such as paints, paintbrushes and towels—or better yet, see if you can borrow supplies from someone. Before you start painting on faces, practice making your designs on paper. Have fun, and use your creativity. Don’t forget to clean up afterwards!
4. Work in the park
Your city’s Parks and Recreation department could use your help in a variety of ways. Call them up and ask what you can do. You might work on a painting project or plant flowers at a playground. These projects will really spruce up your city!
5. Help out families at your local hospital
Offer to sew colorful baby blankets to donate to the hospital’s neonatal unit. It can be stressful to have a premature infant, but seeing their child wrapped in a cute homemade blanket could brighten a parent’s day!
6. Teach your talent
Are you skilled at a sport? Are you an art pro? Call a daycare or afterschool program to see if you could teach weekly lessons on your favorite hobby.
7. Visit a nursing home
With your classmates or friends, organize a dinner and game party at a local retirement home. Some people could prepare the food, others can serve it, and others could organize the games. Interact with the senior citizens, and award prizes to the winners of the games.
8. Plan a food drive
Invite a bunch of friends to your house. Before they come, make a scavenger hunt list with items like canned vegetables and boxed dinners. Split your friends into two teams, and give each team a list. The teams should go door-to-door, asking neighbors for the items. The first team to return with everything on the list wins! Donate all of the food to a food bank.
9. Help someone study
What’s your best subject in school? Talk with your counselor to see if your school has (or is planning to start) a peer-tutoring program for which you could volunteer.
10. Be creative
Design your own homemade greeting cards. Ask to hand them out at a nursing home or a soup kitchen. It will put a smile on someone’s face.
Jessica Lippe lives in in Southern Oregon. She enjoys volunteering, writing and traveling.
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