This month's President's Message focuses on the importance of volunteers. Now before you click off this page, take a minute to read how important volunteers have been in our society and will continue to be as we move forward in the coming years. Our league is 100% volunteers. We rely on volunteers to make the program a success. But volunteerism is so much more than providing baseball to our youth. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation. In many cases, volunteers “improve citizenship” and serve as an effective conduit “to educate” individuals outside philanthropic and governmental circles as to the merits of public service. Governments have utilized volunteers for years. For example, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), during the 1930s, worked to plant trees, build bridges and roads, and restore public lands and buildings throughout the United States. In the 1960s, the Peace Corps began work to assist the poorest countries in the world by constructing schools, treating the sick, and assisting in agricultural needs. Additionally, most communities would not economically be sustainable without volunteers. Take the Mt. Airy Volunteer Fire Company here in Mt. Airy. Our town taxes would go sky high if we have to field a full time paid fire department.
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| Carl Stotz (1939) |
Our program is Mt. Airy's home for Little League Baseball and we are the local extension of Little League International's mission statement. Four County Little League provides our players with the avenue to become better citizens and athletes. As it says in the Little League Pledge, we will "play fair & strive to win" and we will always push forward and teach the aspects of our partner program through the Positive Coaching Alliance. Don't think for one minute, we do not compete. We do indeed compete and have fun doing so, but our main goal and always will be is to "develop superior citizens...".
Each year at the Little League World Series, there are hundreds of volunteers who help run the international event. Even the Umpires (yes the umpires) are volunteers. There are volunteers at every level of tournament play. From ushers to team aunts and uncles these volunteers are essential to making the events happen. Our league is part of Maryland District 2 and we compete in the International Tournament each year. There are volunteers who work year round to make sure our Maryland District 2 is alive and well. We have a vibrant district and it's because of dedicated volunteers. Could you imagine if there were no volunteers to run Maryland District 2? Our league is no different we have a vibrant league with many great volunteers, but I believe we can do better. This entire article was written to give parents an understanding of how important it is to volunteer in the upcoming season.
As it says in the Little League Rule Book: "The parents of millions of Little Leaguers, combined with their youngsters, league officials, umpires, managers, coaches, auxiliary members and countless volunteer agencies including sponsors, represent an imposing cross section of this nation. Parents should accept the fact that they must shoulder the responsibility and take initiative to make the local program successful. Little League is not a club in which membership implies baby-sitting benefits and entertainment privileges for your children. Practically speaking, Little League is an adult, volunteer work project constructed, supervised and assisted by parents who desire to make its benefits extend to their children. Each parent should join in the total effort. There is a place and a job to do for all. The burden of operating the League should not fall on a few. The parent who shirks this responsibility cannot, in turn, expect others to assume the burden."
Recently, as you know, Maryland law mandated our youth participate in a required amount of "volunteer" hours prior to graduation. I think this law is silly and unnecessary. The government should not have to mandate common sense and what is "the right thing to do". We should not have to be told to volunteer, but I guess our government felt like our parents were not instilling a sense of volunteerism into our youth, so the law was created. I have always volunteered from as far back as I can remember. When I was a child, my parents were involved in our youth activities and as I got older, I too was expected to volunteer. Now as an adult I am active at my church, the league and the district. As my son gets older, he too has started to volunteer. Not because of some law, but because it is the right thing to do. As a league, we introduced the Junior Umpire Program last season and I was so encouraged to see so many youth wanting to help. We offered service learning hours, but most did not care about that, they simply wanted to help. Our youth are like sponges. They want to be just like us. When they see us volunteer, they too will want to volunteer, so you are not only helping the league, you are instilling a sense of community and belonging as well as responsibility to our youth. This will leave a legacy of volunteerism, loyalty and commitment that would not have been instilled while sitting on the side lines.
Now some may say, I don't have time. I'm going here with this family member or going here with that family member. Your family is no different than any other family, but we all have to think ahead, make sacrifices and do what we can when we can, but do something. The bottom line is that volunteering is at the core of our organization and we need your help. Ask how you can help or when the call to action comes, please speak up. There are opportunities at every level of our organization. This isn't about money as much as it is about strengthening our league so that it will be strong and vibrant for the future of the kids in our area. There are plenty of opportunities to help with our league. Click here to read more about the opportunities our league offers.
I want to take this opportunity to thank those who have given up countless hours to help the league. I especially want to thank those who work year round (you know who you are). Folks think that the league runs from April to June, but the fact is that everyday of the year something is being done to help the league for the season or the upcoming season. Please help us instill a sense of "Character, Courage & Loyalty" by volunteering with your local hometown Little League.
Jim Gill
President
Four County LL
President
Four County LL
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