Henry Sinopoli

The significance of volunteering was, in my opinion, explained perfectly by President Ronald Reagan.

He said, “No matter how big and powerful government gets, and the many services it provides, it can never take the place of volunteers.”

The essence of volunteering, I believe, places self-initiative over selfless entitlement and enables citizens to capture the fundamental nature of what it means to live in community.

Ordinary citizens, by selecting something or someone outside their personal sphere of control, seek to improve the greater good through a personal commitment of service, financial contributions or both.

By doing so, volunteers, representing ordinary people, do extraordinary things without regard for personal gain. The belief that an individual contribution will tighten the interconnected fabric of community and make it stronger compels volunteers, each and every day, to strengthen communities without government handouts or political intervention.

These are some of the reasons I wholeheartedly volunteered to contribute time and resources to the Moraine Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America.

As an educator, I witnessed firsthand the benefits of their proactive, positive contributions to boys and, now, girls supported by their many educational, athletic and life-skills programs.

The United States represents the most generous society in the world, and the backbone of our benevolence began and rests with community volunteers.

Henry Sinopoli of Butler is an adjunct professor of business at Waynesburg University, teaching in the MBA program. He also operates a professional business coaching practice.