6 Volunteer Opportunities that Suit Your Skill Set

By: Kelly Trace

It's true that few things in life are more rewarding than giving back. Now, imagine the sense of satisfaction you get when you lift your violin to your chin, slide into the gently worn leather seat of your favorite car, or head off, beaming broadly, to your day job. Combine the two, and you'll have a small glimpse into how incredible it feels to use your innate skills, talents, and abilities to help others change their lives, or, perhaps even better, smile a little bigger.

1. Hairdresser/Barber – If you're skilled at clipping and cutting, use your dexterous digits to help groom others for success. Donate time at a shelter to prepare people to re-enter the work force, visit a nursing home or retirement center to give the ladies a beauty boost, or give a quick crop to cancer patients who can't travel to the salon for a snip.
2. Animal Lovers – Animal shelters are almost always shorthanded, leaving our four-legged furry friends cooped up and hungry for love. Spend a few mornings a week getting the animals out of their kennel and into the sunshine for some exercise and a whole lot of pets.
3. Road Warrior – If you're most at home in the driver's seat, you can satisfy both your need for (safe) speed and your philanthropic yearnings by volunteering your services transporting the elderly and infirm to the grocery store, doctor's office, or senior center.
4. Musician – Music is a universal language we can all understand. Heal and impart happiness by playing a few tunes at a local nursing home, visit a children's hospital and lead a sing along, or teach free group music classes in lower income areas, expose a group of kids to the arts in a way they might never experience otherwise.
5. Outdoorsman/Eagle Scout/Park Ranger – A large percentage of inner city kids grow up with little first-hand knowledge about the world outside of the concrete jungle they live in. Expose them to the beauty of nature and a world beyond apartment buildings and car exhaust by organizing hiking trips or camp outs. Aside from a getting a chance to enjoy the wide open spaces, kids will also get to learn things like sustainability, botany, fishing, wildlife, and survival skills.
6. Bookworms/Librarians – Inside a book's cover are countless reasons to dream. Prompt a little imagination and put a book in the hands of those who may need an escape the most. Encourage friends and family to donate gently used book and magazines, then take your portable collection around to those who aren't mobile enough themselves to get to the library.

In a thriving city like Orlando, there are endless opportunities to give back to the community that has already given you so much. No matter how you choose to volunteer, using your skills to brighten someone's day is a winning situation for all involved.

Kelly