by: Ashley Hillman
Community Collaborations Director
A recent report indicates that Utah ranks #1 when it comes to embracing the spirit of volunteerism. According to an article published in the Salt Lake Tribune on August 9th, 2011, 44.5% of adults volunteer in Utah; the national average is 26.5%. (http://tiny.cc/vvex5 for full article)
Having moved to Salt Lake City a year ago, not knowing anyone at all or ever having visited Utah, I have developed a much deeper appreciation for the importance of community, which is often cultivated when people lend a helping hand and give of their time to impact others in a positive way. Regarding one another as partners on our life journey, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic background, we become more inclined to cultivate a sense of community.
Terry Tempest Williams, a Salt Lake native herself, says it well: I have inherited a belief in community, the promise that a gathering of the spirit can both create and change culture. In the desert, change is nurtured even in stone by wind, by water, through time.
Life is a journey, and we’re all on it together. I’m proud to live in a state that has claimed the #1 title for volunteering!
