Volunteering has long been a defining thread in a healthy community.

At its core, the word volunteer comes from the Latin voluntarius, meaning “of one’s free will.” A volunteer is someone who makes a willing offering of themselves — their time, talent, and treasure — for the good of others.

I’m proud to serve as the president of the Rotary Club of Homewood. This volunteer service organization embodies the spirit of being people of action, with the tagline “service above self.” 

For nine decades, volunteers in the Rotary Club of Homewood have given locally and internationally to many causes: supporting educational programs, strengthening families, partnering in global humanitarian efforts, and investing in communities. I am confident that current volunteers and those who previously served are and were better people because of our service. Service does not only transform communities — it transforms those who serve.

Recently, we were witnesses to that truth in a powerful way with the passing of the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., after a lengthy illness. Rev. Jackson was well known for taking on causes of all sizes, locally, nationally, and internationally. 

In reading the many tributes written in his honor, one theme stood out: Rev. Jackson consistently went out of his way for others. When a problem presented itself, he did not back down. He collaborated. He convened. He brought people together to find solutions.

And though he needed assistance to walk in later years and could no longer speak in the rapid-fire cadence for which he was well known, you would still see Rev. Jackson in the community: among children, with senior citizens, at church services, enjoying the music, and engaging public officials. Even with physical limitations, he remained present. Even in weakness, he modeled strength. His life illustrated what it means to be willing to give of oneself for the good of others.

Studies show that volunteering has other benefits, including building a sense of engagement and belonging. Belonging strengthens our social resources — the relationships that buffers stress and builds resilience: that sense of belonging reduces the quiet wounds of feeling unseen, ignored, or excluded. 

In this community alone, there are so many more opportunities that could be offered if there were more volunteers. For example, a group of dedicated men once started a program to read to young children in several public schools in our community, but sustaining that effort became impossible due to a lack of volunteers. The young man who started the group finally said he was tired of the constant search for volunteers and canceled the program.

Our schools need volunteers.
Our senior centers need volunteers.
Our libraries need volunteers.
Our community organizations need volunteers.
Our religious institutions need volunteers.
Our communities need volunteers. And yes — our bodies need us to volunteer.

Rev. Jackson was known for a powerful declaration; he would have the audience repeat with conviction: “I am somebody!”

That statement was about dignity. It was about worth. It was about refusing to be invisible.
Volunteerism makes that declaration visible.

When we serve a child in a classroom, we say, You are somebody.
When we visit a senior, we say, You are somebody.
When we collaborate to solve community challenges, we affirm, we are somebody.
We honor those who have served and sacrificed their lives — like Rev. Jackson — when we, too, offer our time and talent for the good of others. Legacy is not only remembered; it is continued.
We are somebody.
And because we are somebody, we serve.

Donna Brumfield
President of Homewood Rotary Club