By Lorraine Longhi

For many Boy Scouts, the journey of community service and continuous character building culminates in becoming an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the program. For Roger Luth, his turn as a Boy Scout of America was only the launching pad of a long life filled with acts of volunteering.

Luth, a resident of Apache Junction, is just one individual in a city whose past volunteers have numbered over 650, with over 30,000 labor hours contributed.

With an extensive history of community service including the police auxiliary, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the volunteer fire department and the United States Civil Air Patrol, Luth currently assists Apache Junction’s Explorer program, where young men and women interested in a career in law enforcement can receive training and experience.

Apache Junction’s numerous volunteers have raised more than $600,000 through the fundraising efforts of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, police auxiliary and the Explorer program.

But the monetary benefits aren’t why individuals such as Luth continue to volunteer their services for the community.

“I think the greatest thing is at the end of the day someone telling you thank you,” Luth said. “Your reward isn’t what you make, but being thanked and what your heart gets out of it.”

The Senior Corps, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), provided 1,800 seniors this year who contributed 771,000 hours, which was valued at more than $16 million.

CNCS enlisted over 15,000 people to meet local needs and help communities throughout Arizona. Volunteers provide a number of social services throughout the Valley, including tutoring children, providing health services and restoring the environment.

According to the organization’s official site, CNCS will commit more than $19.1 million to support Arizona communities through national service initiatives this year.

Simple services provided by these volunteers can often go unnoticed by the public, be it directing traffic during large events, or throwing pancake breakfasts to raise funds for the cities.

“As the budget gets tighter in the cities, these services will start to be eliminated,” Luth said. “Sometimes people don’t usually think about who’s going to do these jobs. That’s why I try to help out.”

While Luth actively participates in teaching kids the basic duties associated with law enforcement, he has noticed a decline in the number of individuals coming out to offer their services through volunteering.

This could have a dramatic economic effect, given the revenue produced by several volunteer groups throughout the East Valley.

“What I’ve seen in my experience is that as times get harder and money gets tighter, you find less volunteers,” Luth said. “It’s hard to put extra time in when you’re trying to maintain, or even find, a full-time job.”

Volunteers Impact Economy, Aid Local Communities

Despite the state of the economy, volunteer efforts in the East Valley have been rewarded through such companies as the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, a company whose donations have provided life insurance as well as funding for youth musical programs.

Earlier this year, Northwestern Mutual awarded a $10,000 grant to The Sertoma Club in Mesa, whose primary function is assisting individuals with speech or hearing impairments, as well as offering assistance to other needs-based community organizations.

The grant is to be allocated in support of volunteer services as well as other resources to a variety of community organizations.

In addition, Mesa’s Fire Department Volunteer Corps was awarded the Fire Corps 2009 Award of Excellence due to their remarkable achievements in helping and improving the community.

The Volunteer Corps’ Connector Program also received recognition for its services in 2003 when it received the Maricopa Community College Outstanding Community College service award.

The Connector Program, created in 1998, is an integral part of the Mesa Fire Department, attending to social calls and linking citizens to helpful resources in their communities after they dial 9-1-1.

“In a lot of ways we’re a very public face for the fire department,” said Tim Murphy, a non-emergency responder for the Connector Program. “We’re constantly out in the community, and we wear the same blue shirts, so we try to maintain a respectable face for them when we’re attending to service calls.”

In 2008, Mesa Fire Department volunteers provided close to 29,000 hours of service and saved the community $585,599.

Additionally, volunteer groups and municipalities throughout the Valley have given back to their volunteers in the form of scholarships and grants to Arizona residents.

The volunteer network AmeriCorps provided over 2,100 individuals the opportunity to work in their communities through education, health care and economic services across Arizona.

Funding for AmeriCorps grants often are sent to the Arizona Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, which is then allocated to nonprofit groups to respond to needs of the communities.
Members of AmeriCorps VISTA help to battle poverty in communities by serving full-time to fight illiteracy and improve housing opportunities.

In exchange for these services, members of AmeriCorps earn educational scholarships that can be used to pay for college or qualified student loans.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, more than 13,000 Arizona residents have served more than 12 million hours since 1994, with Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards totaling more than $28.2 million.

This year alone, the 2,100 volunteers of AmeriCorps tutored 322,800 disadvantaged children and contributed 1.7 million hours of service. The total service hours were valued at $34.4 million, as well as raising more than $5.2 million in cash or in-kind contributions.

With such an enormous economic impact on the East Valley, volunteers have consistently stood out in their respective cities and been recognized and awarded for their efforts.

The “Heart of a Community”

In certain cases, volunteers can even be awarded in the form of an architectural monument — one that celebrates the spirit of community and service embodied by volunteers throughout the Valley.

In September of 2007, the city of Tempe unveiled a new medium for which volunteers and culture come together in a modern, historical location: the Tempe Center for the Arts.

Built on the edge of Tempe Town Lake, the building is situated above a riverbed saturated with the history of the area — a history that recollects both a sense of community and commemoration.

“This is the heart of the community; this is where people come together to celebrate,” said Peggy Moroney, an art docent at the center. “From the Hohokam all the way up until now, this riverbed has been a source of life and community.”

Moroney, a veteran volunteer at the Tempe History Museum, has worked at the Tempe Center for the Arts for three years as an art docent for the center’s gallery.

A teacher with no art education and a love of history, Moroney was drawn to the center due to its location and significance in the community.

“The building itself is an architectural wonder,” Moroney said. “You can approach from downtown, the parking lot, or you can fly over and see it from above. It’s all about the sense of approach, that you know something important is going to happen inside this building.”

In 1998, nine years before completion of the center, a citizens group was formed whose purpose was to launch an initiative in order to create a non-profit arts center in Tempe.

Subsequently, a sales tax increase of 0.1% was used to fund seed money for the creation and construction of the center.

Moroney is grateful for the creation of the building, as she says it invokes the same sense of service and togetherness that is essential for volunteers to continue contributing and enjoying what they do.

“Volunteers have to have a sense of community and a feeling that they belong,” Maroney said. “Even if certain people were to leave this place, I would still stay because I have an ownership to this place. I love what it stands for and I love what it does for the general population.”

Tempe Center for the Arts is routinely training new art docents to facilitate tours of the gallery and building, in additions to interns with backgrounds in art education.

New docents undergo a one-day boot camp where they are given all the information needed to work at the gallery and given the opportunity to either stay on or leave.

“When new employees are hired, it’s just one day training,” Moroney said. “Which is the amazing thing, because after you’ve been exposed to boot camp you either say, ‘This is for me,’ or you don’t.”

After retiring from her job 14 years ago, Moroney has continued to perform volunteer work around the Valley, even role-playing as historical figures such as Guess Birchett for the Tempe History Museum.

When asked if volunteering was an endeavor she would continue to pursue, Moroney said her desire to grow and be involved with the community is one that will always need to be fulfilled.

“We don’t get paid, we get motivated,” Moroney said “It’s a sense of doing something worthwhile. It’s a sense of community and belonging. It’s a sense of learning and growing as a human being. Volunteering here satisfies all those needs for me.”

Volunteer Opportunities in the East Valley

Non-profits, community groups and municipalities around the East Valley are in need of committed individuals looking to make a difference through volunteering. Below is a list of just a few opportunities available to local residents. Pinpoint your passion and reach out to your favorite local organization or charity – chances are, they are in need of volunteers.

Another great resource for volunteering opportunities is http://www.volunteermatch.org, a website that catalogs volunteer opportunities and is searchable by zip code or interest.

Apache Junction Explorers

Exploring is a program for young men and women ages 14-20 who are interested in a career in Law Enforcement. Explorers can participate in a number of activities including traffic control, fundraisers, competitions and community service.

For more information, contact officer Keith Gabriel at (480) 474-8621.

Connector Program

The Mesa Fire Department’s Connector Program provides social services to individuals throughout the city including elder care referral, homeless-shelter needs, transportation assistance and fire victim assistance. The program gives volunteers community involvement and first-hand exposure to fire department operations, as well as qualifying for college credit.

For more information, contact Warren Sprecher at (480) 644-3664 or Eric Brunyer at (480) 644-4692, or apply online at www.mesaaz.gov/volunteer/Connectors/Default.aspx

Town of Gilbert

The Town of Gilbert lists volunteer opportunities on its website. Current opportunities include a variety of special events and opportunities at the Riparian Institute and Preserve.

For more information, visit http://www.gilbertaz.gov/volunteer/default.cfm

Tempe Center for the Arts

Gallery docents for the Tempe Center for the Arts serve the community by acting as tour guides and educators for the general public. Volunteers provide a high level of customer service. Duties can include providing insightful information about pieces to all age groups, assisting security with safe maintenance of artwork and safety of visitors, and assisting gallery staff with research and community outreach.

For more information and to apply online, visit www.tempe.gov/tca/gallery/docents

Queen Creek Parks & Recreation

Parks and recreation facilities around the East Valley are always on the lookout for volunteers to facilitate youth programs, coach sports teams or help out with special events, and Queen Creek is no exception. This is an excellent opportunity to help the local community and Queen Creek Recreation Services Division in building a strong future.

For more information and an online volunteer application, visit http://www.queencreek.org/Index.aspx?page=184.

City of Chandler

A comprehensive list of volunteer opportunities is available on the City of Chandler website. Enjoy being surrounded by books or helping people with their taxes? Chandler has a volunteer opportunity for every interest.

For more information, visit http://www.chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=185