It’s very impressive that a high school junior is aware of the “numerous benefits of volunteering” (‘Looking for a late resolution? Consider serving as a volunteer,” by Matthew Leger, The Herald, Feb. 17)
My 30-plus years of volunteering with RESULTS (results.org) to make sure everyone has basic needs met by battling the scourges of poverty have proven those benefits to be true. I no longer had to stand by as more than 40,000 children were dying every day, instead using my voice with members of Congress to pass legislation that has cut that to around 14,000 each day. Still too many, but I am not done, and you can help, too. While it seems to some that all they can do is vote, RESULTS trains us to speak to and encourage our representatives to make a difference.
Hard to believe? Just last week I met with U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., (after he got in touch with RESULTS) to get an update on global health for his upcoming trip to South Africa. He knows how to listen and ask questions and will be better prepared for his trip. Then he can encourage others in the House to fund initiatives like the End TB Now Act that save lives globally and protect us locally. So thanks to Matthew Leger for his reminder and to Rep. Larsen for his efforts to listen, learn, and take action. We can all do the same: volunteering creates a better world for all.
Willie Dickerson
Snohomish
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