VOLUNTEERING IS GOOD FOR YOU

For Kathy Truax volunteering at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Winnsboro brings her satisfaction and a feeling of being closer to the community. “I don’t think of it as a sacrifice,” said Truax. “It’s like a job, but better, because it doesn’t have the stress.”

According to a report published by the Corporation for National & Community Service in 2007, volunteering can boost mental health and the social connections help buffer stress. Also, volunteering can provide a sense of purpose and vitality, key elements in helping treat depression.

When Truax and her husband moved from Florida, she wanted to find a way to meet new people and get involved. Truax has been volunteering at Texas Health Winnsboro for almost four years now. Truax said that she was influenced when her mother volunteered at a hospital when she was young. She feels volunteering at the hospital has provided an opportunity for her to help others.

“We are blessed by our volunteers in many ways,” said Karen Adams, the Volunteer Coordinator at Texas Health Winnsboro. “The smiles they have on their faces and the servant attitude they bring when they serve, spreads a good attitude to everyone.”

The Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource January, 2009 issue recommends to those wanting to volunteer should:
---------- Get involved in what makes you happy or focus on an issue that you care deeply about.
----------Consider skills you've developed over the years and can share, or skills you'd like to learn.
---------- Find organizations and opportunities. Places that often need help include hospitals, schools, libraries, food banks, religious organizations, parks, environmental programs, youth groups, humane societies, historic sites and arts organizations.
---------- Decide on how much time you can offer. Opportunities can range from getting involved in short-term events such as fundraising walks or bicycle rides to long-term, ongoing activities such as tutoring.
----------Phone or visit the organization you're interested in to determine if it would be a good fit. If it's not, keep looking.

According to the Mayo Clinic, to realize the health benefits of volunteering, a commitment of 40 to 100 hours a year is needed, studies have shown. That equates to a couple of hours a week.

National Volunteer Week is usually the third week in April and this year volunteers were celebrated April 19-25.
For information about volunteering at Texas Health Winnsboro, please contact Karen Adams at 903-342-3966.
To learn more information about volunteering log onto www.mayoclinic.org or www.nationalservice.org. To learn how to become a Texas Health volunteer log onto www.texashealth.org .