By David Freeze

Last Saturday, we had the Run for the Word 5K in Landis. The second annual event was a huge success and benefitted the high school and middle school Bible teachers in the South Rowan area.

Races are complex, with a long list of must-haves to make sure things go well. Nothing is more important than volunteers. In fact, when I talk to a prospective race director about his or her organization and the charity that they want to benefit, one of my first statements includes the need for quality volunteers.

To make this need for volunteering most significant, no races will happen without volunteers! It is astonishing to me that many runners or their families have never volunteered at a race. They just expect the event to happen regardless. It won’t. After almost 45 years of both racing and volunteering, I can make the statement that runners need to complete the loop by volunteering.

Here are some of the benefits you receive from volunteering:

Volunteering makes you social: One of the most notable advantages of volunteering is the effect you leave on the community as a whole. It permits you to form a strong bond with those around you. Remember that even small acts of kindness can make a real difference. Also, volunteering is as beneficial to you as it is to the community. Devoting your time as a volunteer assists you with making new companions, growing your organization, and lifting your social abilities. Volunteering boosts self-esteem: You are doing useful things for other people and the community, which gives a characteristic feeling of achievement. Your part as a volunteer can likewise give you a feeling of pride and purpose. Furthermore, the better you feel about yourself, the better perspective you have on your life and future objectives. Volunteering can give a feeling of direction. Whatever your age or life circumstance, volunteering can help you to take a break from your own concerns, keep you intellectually invigorated, and add more zeal to your life.

Volunteering helps you stay healthy: Volunteering can be significant for emotional well-being. It can help reduce anxiety, stress and depression. Surely, the social contact which is a part of helping other people can profoundly affect your general mental prosperity. Studies show that individuals who volunteer have a lower death rate than the individuals who do not. More seasoned volunteers are less inclined to foster stress and have better-thinking abilities. Volunteering can likewise diminish the side effects of chronic pain and lessen the risk of coronary illness. I have two examples of how these things work. Pam Roseman is a local doctor of physical therapy. Pam is also the race director of the Clean Water 5K set for Nov. 11 at Grace Lutheran Church. She is in Michigan this weekend doing a half-Ironman Triathlon. Charleen Allegrezza is a retired restaurant owner. Both were course monitors in important areas at the Run for the Word. Pam, who races often, loved doing the other side of the event and said, “It was such a joy to cheer the runners on the course. I really loved it while helping give me perspective for my own race next Sunday.” Charleen, a regular SRR volunteer when we serve lunches at Rowan Helping Ministries, jumped in when she saw runners starting to get off course at the turnaround and saved a bunch of headaches afterward. One recent race had some runners get off course due to a missing volunteer and sorting it out was not fun.

Of course, my purpose for this article is not just to address volunteering at races. Regardless of where you volunteer, the same benefits apply. In my own case, I love to volunteer because it takes me away from my own projects and concerns for the time being. I can just enjoy this new event and who I meet, while savoring the results.

Races have many jobs that volunteers can do. At Run for the Word, more than 30 course monitors worked the turns and corners while others announced times at mile markers. Still more helped with registration and refreshments.

The next race locally is Donuts for Dollars at GNC in Salisbury on Nov. 4. Look for this and more races and volunteering opportunities at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.