I’m a Colorado girl through and through. Born and raised in Colorado, I settled on the Western slope 35 years ago. I’ve also lived in northern, southern and front-range Colorado. One thing I have noticed living in different areas of the state: From super small communities to large ones, the more you invest in community, the stronger it becomes.
When we think of investment, we usually mean - money; stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, etc. Returns take time and planning. Investing in our community is similar. We can volunteer, and serve in other ways, in hopes of building a stronger community now and for future generations.
We live in a very self-focused world. It seems that few these days, take the time to look up and see the people around them and when they do, they either disregard and go on their way or become overly offended and things tend to escalate. News, social media, and the influences of the world make it super easy for this to happen.
So, how do we change things? We can start by looking up. When we do, let’s look to see what we can do to help make our community better, what we can do to help make our community stronger; Investing in our future.
There are so many things in this community that we could invest our time and talents in. Here are a few suggestions:
Housing Resources of Western Colorado is currently facilitating the construction of 8 homes for low-income families here in Grand Junction. The program accepts volunteers who commit to the required 15 of the 30 hours of service work. Volunteer support is greatly needed and will have a huge impact on the families.
Clifton Christian Church Food Bank is always looking for volunteers to help check in and distribute food, as well as donations of food. This is an ongoing opportunity that occurs on the 4th Saturday of the month.
Donating blood at a local blood bank is another way to serve others and it is literally life-saving.
Diaper Depot Diaper Bank needs donations of diapers, wipes, and rash creams. They also need volunteers to help repack the diapers into smaller packages. This is so helpful for children, as it is a hidden consequence of poverty. Without a supply of diapers, toddlers cannot participate in early childhood education.
Being a volunteer and/or donating isn’t the only way we can invest. Here are a few more suggestions that are completely free.
Smile. It really is contagious. When we smile at people it lets them know we see them, that they are noticed. Often times just a smile can change the outlook or attitude of the person it is directed at. It has huge benefits. Not just for the person, but for yourself.
Say something nice. How great is it to be complimented? We can help lift others by our words. Tell someone how helpful they are, you like the shoes, their hair looks nice. It doesn’t have to be complicated but do be genuine.
Hold the door open for someone. We tend to be in such a hurry that the courtesy of holding open a door is overlooked.
Say please and thank you. You’d be amazed at what a difference this makes. It doesn’t seem like much, but it really is, besides, it’s just polite.
Text someone. Let them know that you are thinking about them. Tell them how important they are to you. All of us have bad days. Hearing from people and knowing they are thought about can help in those hard times we all have now and then
All these things are just tiny ways to invest in our community. When we do things like this, we set an example for others to follow; especially for the younger generations - which is exactly the point of investing in building something of value for the future.
How do we change things? Look up. When we do, we help our community become better & stronger.
