In life we hear it all the time how important it is to give back by donating time, money, or other things. This weekend I was able to take part in the Leukemia Ball. This was my first black tie formal event since moving to D.C. and I must say I was impressed! As a girl that loves a beautiful dress I appreciated many of the styles that came through the door that night...but I digress. (I love dresses!)
It is interesting when I think about it due to work and other connections I am often attending these events and never had the chance to volunteer for one to see how it works from the other side. Upon entering a room with hundreds of volunteers I instantly knew this would be a production. What truly got me was the reason why people choose to volunteer for the event that evening. I would say for many of them it was due to a personal connection with the cause. Then there were others researched for the opportunity to help for their love for events or volunteerism. Kudos to them all!
I had my friend along with me that night and we worked the registration for the event. Everyone in attendance showed patience as we worked through the registration process and got them set for the event. They knew they were there to help raise awareness and funds and people did not hesitate to donate extra money on raffle tickets or silent auction items.
In working the registration one person stood out to me the most that evening. There was a woman that came through our line and after completing her registration she turns back and simply says, "thank you for volunteering". Something about that moment really resonated with me and made my time that evening that much better.
You never know how the time you spend giving back to others may affect their life. The selfless act of doing something for others for nothing in return can be given back to you in abundance in the words, "thank you".
“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”
~ Arthur Ashe
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