Volunteering and Bloomington

 

            There are many things I love about Bloomington that made me want to stay after college.  There were many small joys I remember very well growing up like staying at the Indiana Memorial Union building when my family visited to getting breadsticks at Pizza X.  Similarly, there were many deeper memories from Bloomington as I met most of the people I would consider my closest friends here and there have always been amazing shows at the IU theaters and Buskirk Chumley.  However, one thing that always made Bloomington feel like home and made me excited to be a part of the community was the opportunity to volunteer.

         Bloomington is blessed with a wide variety of opportunities for community engagement through volunteering.  From the Hoosier Hills Food Bank to the Bloomington Boys and Girls Club to the Shalom Community Center, there are so many opportunities for Bloomingtonians to get involved with the local community and help make a difference.  I myself quite enjoy my own work with the county chapter of the Knights of Columbus and have been proud to start volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul Society (which I hope to continue after the election).  Overall, public service and giving of ourselves is a huge part of what makes Bloomington Bloomington and what made it so inviting to me while I was getting my degrees at IU.

         I call special attention to all these opportunities specifically because it’s a reminder of Bloomington’s culture and character.  It shows a willingness to help our fellow man and compassion for those of us who have fallen on hard times.  That is something if elected that I hope to maintain and promote while on the city council.

         One may wonder then why a candidate would speak about something that seems second nature in this city, but the truth is that our country is facing an epidemic of loneliness that needs to be addressed.  This comes as less people are joining social clubs, organizations, and community groups.  In addition, it has gotten so bad that a US Senator has suggested creating an office to help people be friends.  Now, I am 100% against that idea, but it does show the need to help people reconnect and make lasting relationships that will benefit them.

         Western Connecticut State University notes that volunteering carries many benefits that can improve one's overall quality of life.  It can improve social connections and relationships, fight depression and improve health, and boost self-confidence.  From my experience, it can also teach responsibility.  So that is why it is important to volunteer and stay engaged, an opportunity of which Bloomingtonians should take advantage.

         That is good for IU students as well since it makes them engage with the broader Bloomington community.  Many of them come here looking for education, and volunteering gives them the chance to engage with Bloomington and see it as not only a college but also maybe a place to live and raise a family after they are done with school.  Even if that isn’t the case, it will give them opportunities and experiences for the future.  It is why the broader Bloomington charities and non-profits should stay connected with the university and the city should help in any way it can.

         Overall, I just hope to post this as a reminder of the importance of volunteering and why it is such a part of Bloomington.  From the tangible benefits to volunteers to just how ingrained it is in Bloomington culture, there are a lot of chances to volunteer and my fellow residents should definitely engage.  Doing so will only make this city better, both as a place and as a people.