A better community begins with acts of kindness

To The Eagle:

Many people find great joy in volunteering for the greater good of the community and find it very rewarding to lend a helping hand where one is needed. Just yesterday as I was checking my mail at the local post office an elderly woman was struggling as she was exiting with a large box in her hands. It was very refreshing to see that another patron politely asked if she needed help and then, proceeded to help her. I frequently see examples like this everyday in our wonderful community and would like to see more of this as I begin to raise my family and grow older here. Some day I will be that man needing help and it would be nice to know that there will be people out there with hearts of gold that will take the initiative to help a neighbor.

I have lived in this community for a year and a half now and have enjoyed the pleasure of meeting many great people who live in this beautiful area. I have had the opportunity to join the Kiwanis Club of Cathlamet, where I have been able to participate in many great volunteer opportunities! Each project or event is always for the good of the community with the focus on bettering the lives of children.

The Kiwanis mission is “Serving the Children of the World.” With a mission this general it gives our local club the ability to do many things, some great examples of this being; last year our local Kiwanis club in collaboration with the Cathlamet Public Library sponsored a literacy project that was able to give each child a book in the first through fifth grades at the JA Wendt Elementary School, or the fact that we were able to give three scholarships to the graduating seniors at the Wahkiakum High School last year. We also help with other community events, such as the Cathlamet Corral long board races.

We do these things in our community because we care, and we want to make a difference one child at a time. For me this experience has been very rewarding in many ways and more than that, it has been very fun! I have a blast volunteering and getting to know my neighbors! Beginning October I will be serving as President of our Kiwanis Club and would like to invite the readers of the Eagle to our Officer Installation Potluck at 6 p.m. on October 5 at the St. Catherine Catholic Church on Columbia Street. We will be prioritizing our goals and projects for the 2010/2011 year and welcome the participation of our community in the event.

Kiwanis is just one of the local organizations where you can get involved and volunteer for the good of our community. I do not want to limit your view on volunteering to just our club. There are many wonderful organizations in the Cathlamet area that do amazing things for our community! Find your passions in life and then look for an organization that supports that passion weather it be the Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, Fire Department, City Library, Food banks, clothing bank, the Wahkiakum Community Network, the Mentoring Program, or the St. James Family Center. Many people dedicate time towards these agencies in hope of bettering our community and hopefully benefiting all the people that live within the community.

Bettering our community can begin with a simple act of kindness like opening a door for an elderly person or encouraging a youth to give their best. I encourage you to volunteer at one or more of the organizations in our area and help us help our community better itself! After all we all live here and you never know how far your kindness will go. For those readers who already volunteer, thank you! Thank you, for making our community a better place to live by getting involved!

Trinidad I. Medina

President, Kiwanis Club of Cathlamet