Try It You'll Like It

I've always been a volunteer.  Before I graduated from high school, I volunteered to lead a Girl Scout Troop. Now granted, this was before background checks, but I must have been slightly qualified. After all, I could start a fire, cook a mean campfire stew, use a pocket knife and hike! Oh, and I was a girl!

I've volunteered lots of places. I even worked, for a short time, as a Professional Volunteer Director. Once, I volunteered to pass out flyers, at my polling place. I only did it once, because another volunteer threatened to kill me! Seems like someone had destroyed some of her yard signs. Seriously, I wasn't guilty. It wasn't me. With that experience, I was one and done with politics!

My latest volunteer position is at the nationally recognized Kansas City's World War I Museum and Memorial. I regularly work an afternoon shift, two days a week. By volunteering there, I am able to combine both my love of people and history. Most of the volunteers, at the facility, are either retired teachers or former military. They are a great bunch of folks!

The Great War has always been a part of my life. Two of my great uncles, Walter and Harry, were combat veterans of the war, having served in the trenches, in France. My grandpa, Tom, was drafted, trained, but never made it across the Atlantic. The Wintle Boys were all born and lived in the same small Kansas town. It boggles my mind, thinking of them traveling by train across the county, seeing New York City, and boarding a ship in Hoboken. Then, sailing the Atlantic Ocean. Talk about 1917 Culture Shock!

The WWI Museum has a temporary exhibit, highlighting items that entertained the troops. When I volunteer in that room, I sing WWI era songs, like "Mademoiselle From Armentieres" and "How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm", to the Museum Visitors. When I sing, I think about Harry, Tom and Walter. Homegrown Doughboys serving "Over There".

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All Powerful Lord: We pray to you in the hard times.We are thankful in the good times. But, we should be thinking of You, and talking to You all the time. You have asked us to "Pray without ceasing." Wars are senseless. Grant us Peace.