Volunteers

When Tom took off to plow and shovel snow at the little railroad this morning, it was -10 (-23.3 C) outside. And he's a volunteer. The little railroad is a volunteer-powered organization, and people give an amazing number of hours to keeping the little trains puffing along and delighting children.

At the library, volunteers provide the equivalent of a full-time staff member, saving the library (and the city and village taxpayers) between $35,000 and $40,000 annually.

Locally volunteers provide free tutoring for school kids as well as free language tutoring for adults who want to learn to speak and/or read English. They deliver meals to the elderly year-round and a special free lunch program for children in the summer. This year they will be adding art classes in the summer for the kids as well.

Volunteers go out into the community and read to daycare and HeadStart children. They visit people in hospice and in nursing homes. They rescue animals and help clean up the highways. Both Lake Delton Village and the City of Wisconsin Dells rely on volunteer fire departments.

So as I sit here snug and warm at home with the cats this morning, I think about those like Tom who go out there and just keep things going. Many of these folks get no recognition at all. In fact, I only know about some of the things they do because of the rounds I make in the bookmobile and what I see happening.

Thanks, folks! You done good!