Today we had our Holiday Volunteer Tea. That's where we throw a big reception and invite all of the various and assorted volunteers at work to come be told by everyone how much they are appreciated. And it's true... we couldn't do half of what we do without them.

What all do they do for us? Well, they staff our thrift store for one. Our Thrift Store pulls in some great money, and has helped us provide more services to our community. We are lucky to have them.

Our office is filled with plants, and they are always lush and green and bug-free, thanks to a volunteer who comes in every week and shows her love in that way. It sounds small, but our office is very nice, and the plants help a lot. When you deal with death everyday, it's nice to have cool, living plants.

We have several committees, which are all staffed entirely by community members who just want to make a difference. Some of our fundraising would not happen without the help and expertise of these fine people.

And then, there are the folks that I don't know they do it. The angels among us. The patient care volunteers. These folks are actually part of the care team that includes nurses, nurse aids, social workers, chaplains... they spend time with our patients, and help the families cope and when there is no family, they visit as a friend would. How in the world they do it is beyond me. I'm not afraid of death--working at hospice has helped me understand it differently--but I don't know these folks do it. They are angels among us, and I'm glad they are there, doing the work that needs to be done.

So that's the deal. I'd like to challenge each and every one of you to volunteer somewhere... not for the rest of your life, or even for an extended time, but give away some of your time to do good in your community and in your world. It's easy to do, and you'll enjoy it as much as the community will benefit. You might meet some new people, learn something and change someone's life in a way that can change the world.

Really. Please. Force yourself to make a difference, even for just a few hours somewhere. For more info about how (and WHY!) to get involved, visit Yahoo!'s great guide.