I want to be just another number.

Yes, you heard me right.  I want to be one of the hundreds of thousands of people who volunteer their time to all the great causes out there.

At APEX I feel we have a great culture of giving back to the community through not only our own non-profit organization On Your Bike but also through the contributions that our staff make to organizations such as Friends for Life, Toronto Animal Services, and the Durham Children’s Aid Foundation, to name a few.

I have also found great personal and professional satisfaction in the volunteer work that I do with IABC/Toronto, and I know the same is true for my colleagues who volunteer with CPRS and other professional associations.

Here are a few reasons to get involved:

Make an impact

Getting involved means that you can have a say in the areas that are important to you, be that professionally with an association or with a non-profit that represents something important to you. All it takes is one person to make a difference.

Grow

Volunteering can assist you with both your career and professional growth. You get a chance to do things that you might not otherwise have the opportunity to and learn a new skill.

Join the conversation

Sharing your ideas and solutions makes our community overall a better place to live in.

Make a connection to others and yourself

It’s a great way to make new friends and contacts, as well as building your self-esteem.

And the best one:

Happiness! 

A London School of Economics study showed that volunteering made people happy. And who doesn’t want to be happy?

I’m happy to be a positive statistic.  Be one too.

Linda Andross is the President of APEX Public Relations. Follow her on Twitter.

Photo by Doug88888/Flickr