April symbolizes many things-spring, Easter, Passover, and most importantly baseball! That’s right, this month major league baseball kicks off its 2012 regular season. Baseball is a chance to enjoy the awesome weather that the spring and summer offer, but it’s also a time to enjoy some friendly competition; However, while baseball is one of many American’s favorite past time, it is also a unique opportunity to volunteer! While you may be wandering how volunteering and baseball are linked, surprise, surprise! We have already figured that out for you!
Here are 3 ways you can be an amazing baseball volunteer!
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Put your strength to work! Baseball players are great athletes so why not use your strength to help someone? One day after practice or on an off day-volunteer! With the recent tornadoes and storms, you can gather your team and go help clean up communities that have succumbed to the recent disasters. Recently, a Harriburg, PA high school baseball team volunteered to clean up their communities. The team was in the area for a high school baseball showcase at Rent One Park in Marion and decided to stay and spend a portion of their spring break assisting victims of last month’s tornado. How cool is that? Of course, everyone hasn’t recently suffered a natural disaster, but I’m sure there are other ways for you and your team to volunteer in your communities! -
Host a baseball camp! Organize a baseball camp for the youth in the
community to promote sportsmanship, fitness, and camaraderie and end the camp with a baseball game! You can also get your community leaders involved in the event by asking them to teach a session or mentor a youth during the camp! Events like the baseball camp really motivate students to work harder at sports and school and can play an especially important role for young people coming from difficult backgrounds or family situations. Sports can also help teach students responsibility, accountability, teamwork, a work ethic, and many other positive qualities including self-pride. -
Become a little league volunteer! Whether you’re coaching a team, carpooling to ensure that another teammate gets to practice, or providing refreshments, you are vital to the team! As a parent volunteer, you have the opportunity to spend quality time with your child in a safe, fun-filled environment. Oftentimes, parent and
child social lives parallel each other. Volunteering allows your life and your child’s life to intersect on common ground, with shared interests and goals. Similarly, if you are not a parent, volunteering to coach a baseball team allows you to mentor or provide leadership to a child. As a volunteer, you can teach intangible skills that will stick with the child for their entire lives.
There are so many fun and awesome ways to become a baseball volunteer, and if you’re already a baseball volunteer, GREAT! Keep up the good work and thank you!
I first learned about GYSD when I was researching youth service ideas and opportunities on the Internet. I knew I wanted to be part of this global celebration that unites and connects youth throughout the world with the common goal of making a difference to improve their communities. GYSD provides information and grants for youth to create their own projects and/or partner with non-profit organizations. As a current member of the YSA Youth Council (watch the PSA we made!), I have the opportunity to not only increase the impact of my project from last year, but also show young people around the world that they too can use service to solve important issues in their communities. But my favorite thing about GYSD is that it shows age is not a barrier to serving! Anyone at any age can do something to make a difference.
s. This idea incorporates the concept of Neighboring, or the idea that communities – especially those in underserved and under resourced areas – should be engaged in their own change, not have solutions scripted for them by outsiders. As we engage our children and students this holiday season, it’s important to think deeply about this model. When you are out purchasing food, clothing, toys, or other goods to donate to holiday collections, or participating in service with organizations to create change, what can you do to extend the connection with the populations on the receiving end?
Today’s post comes from Hannah Dalporto, a Youth Leadership Intern with 
USA Weekend magazine: Over the past weekend, it recapped this year’s 20th Make A Difference Day, which it co-sponsored with HandsOn Network and Newman’s Own. It mentioned our launch of generationOn that fittingly included service projects and a tribute to extraordinary change-makers at The Extra Mile – Points of Light Volunteer Pathway in D.C. It noted our celebrity participants Madison Pettis and Corbin Bleu, and a nine-year-old volunteer who declared her experience packing toys as the “best day ever!”. It also noted the participation of Obama Cabinet members, including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, in a KaBOOM! Playground build.
by Michelle Nunn, CEO, Points of Light Institute and Co-Founder, HandsOn Network
