It is widely understood among high school seniors and college graduates that volunteer experience can help towards their long-term career goals. The experience looks great on school admission forms and resumes, and it provides unique career training that can be drawn upon in future employment.

These were certainly benefits I sought when I joined the Boulder County Government volunteer program. But over the past 10 months that I've been volunteering with Boulder County, I've gained much more than a bullet point on a resume or application.

As a volunteer, I interview and write articles about the many other unique, interesting volunteers who give their time to Boulder County. These articles recognize and thank individual volunteers for their service to the community. They also serve to promote the programs in which the volunteers serve and, ideally, inspire volunteerism in others.

Volunteer writing has indeed given me knowledge and experience that I hoped to gain professionally. However, I have been surprised by how much the articles have impacted me personally as well.

Of all my duties as a volunteer writer, I most look forward to the volunteer interviews. Through these conversations, I meet kind, motivated people who actively make a positive difference in the world. The volunteers have varied backgrounds - from young adults, to doctors and other professionals, to retired folks. For me, their volunteer achievements demonstrate humanity's unlimited capacity for love. And their firsthand accounts of a volunteer's impact demonstrate how a single volunteer can be a catalyst for powerful change in our community.

One volunteer described how the generosity of ordinary residents makes it possible for more children to go to school with proper supplies and receive holiday gifts. Another volunteer spoke about at-risk teens who now excel in school and work part-time jobs thanks in part to the aid of volunteer mentors. Without these volunteers, the communities of Boulder County would not be able to combat issues such as poverty and social inequality, which are often present in our own backyard.

Volunteer Spotlight articles have become the highlight of my month. The writing assignments energize me with a sense of purpose. I can't help but enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that rises when I see my words in print. But, most of all, I am overwhelmed by the hope I feel whenever I discover the amazing impact of another caring volunteer. Writing may help build my future, but volunteering feeds my soul.

For information about volunteering with Boulder County Government or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.