April 6-12, 2014 has been proclaimed National Volunteer Week, a celebration of people who make a difference in their local community by giving of themselves, their talent, and their time. In his Presidential Proclamation, President Obama “calls upon all Americans to observe this week by volunteering in service projects across our country and pledging to make service a part of their daily lives.”
And South Carolina listened. According to the Corporation for National & Community Service, 25% of residents volunteer, ranking South Carolina 34th nationally. Combined, we give 133.4 million hours of service annually, which is valued at $3.0 billion. 53% of South Carolina residents donate to a charity, and nearly 25% of residents over the age of 55 volunteer.
This week offers us a chance to acknowledge those who make a difference to our organization. While we celebrate our volunteers year-round, we especially want to show our appreciation for everything they do the help make a better South Carolina, and to thank each and every one for their support. To our volunteers who serve on our board of directors and two loan committees helping to steer our work and ensure that we are fulfilling our mission in all that we do, we thank you. To our volunteers who lace up their shoes and come out to help with Race Judicata to help make sure our annual fundraiser is a success, we thank you. To our volunteers who provide guidance and support throughout the year, we thank you.
Year in and year out, volunteers work in various ways to help achieve our mission, and for that, we are grateful.
To quote Helen Keller, “alone we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
