With our local community reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, people need our help now more than ever.

While there is a great divide in our country when it comes to a number of political and social issues, all we can do at a national and statewide level is vote for the candidates we best feel will represent our interests.

However, what has a greater impact is what we do in the communities in which we live.

So how can we help?

Lending a helping hand is as simple as being a reassuring voice for someone we see going through a tough time. Another way to get involved is becoming the conduit for someone in need, getting them and/or their family in touch with resources that can help.

Volunteering our time and money is also another way to get involved.

With social distancing in effect, many local organizations, who could use members, have been meeting via Zoom, Google Meet and other remote platforms.

This presents a great opportunity for us to attend these public meetings and see if it's a group we'd like to be a part of.

And the best part is, we can do it in the safety and comfort of our own homes.

Sitting at home watching and reading about things going on that we wish would change can take a toll on a person. It's easy to feel like your voice doesn't matter. But that isn't true. You can make a difference.

As Maya Angelou once said, “When you do nothing you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.”

An article on the Western Connecticut State University website references a London School of Economics study about the relationship between volunteering and measures of happiness in a large group of American adults. “The more people volunteered, the happier they were, according to a study in Social Science and Medicine. Compared with people who never volunteered, the odds of being “very happy” rose 7% among those who volunteer monthly and 12% for people who volunteer every two to four weeks. Among weekly volunteers, 16% felt very happy—a hike in happiness comparable to having an income of $75,000-$100,000 versus $20,000, say the researchers.”

We each have skills and unique qualities that make us special. And together if we use them to get involved and give back to our community, we can help rebuild our communities after the fallout of this pandemic.

Renaissance workday

A good opportunity to get involved takes place tomorrow, September 9 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. as the Sullivan Renaissance Field Team and volunteers will hold a workday at the Woodbourne Firehouse and Scheinman Park located at 355 Firehouse Road in Woodbourne. The day will include enhancing the firehouse and park grounds through litter plucking, weeding, edging, mulching, and planting to support our first responders.

You must contact Sullivan Renaissance in advance if interested in volunteering for any part of the day. Social distancing protocols will be observed as well as sanitizing products for hands and tools will be provided. Please wear a mask.

The National Day of Service volunteer opportunity is organized around September 11, and the days leading up to it, when we acknowledge the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Anne-Louise Scandariato, Sullivan Renaissance Volunteer Program Manager says it best, “As we reflect on that moment in our history, we will honor the victims, first responders, and citizens who stood up to serve our nation through military service with tributes, memorial services, and volunteer service. Together, they represent a shared belief that by neighbor helping neighbor, we are stronger.”