Thursday, 11 October 2012

Jonathan Thie – The Importance of Volunteering


Despite his busy life as a professional tennis instructor and coach, Jonathan Thie is an avid volunteer.  Thie believes that few things in life are more important than giving back to others with your time, money, and energy.  As a Christian, he believes that he’s called to constantly love and give of himself to others.

Most recently, Jonathan Thie volunteered in Sioux Falls at a banquet, which was an ecumenical meal service for the poor.  However, he’s also volunteered as a Christian Service Volunteer at O’Gorman High School, where he worked with grade school children in the Catholic School System.

However, the most impressive activities on Thie’s volunteer resume date back to a little over 10 years ago.  In 1999 and 2000, Jonathan Thie participated in a major volunteer project.  He collected athletic shoes and all kinds of sports equipment through Catholic Relief Services.  The equipment that Jonathan Thie and friends collected was then shipped to children in the Dominican Republic.

Jonathan Thie received a Prudential Public Service Award for his impressive efforts.  At the time, he was only 17 years old.  Though that particular act of volunteering was mainly independent, Jonathan Thie has also volunteered through two organizations that have been major parts of his life: Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Campus Crusade for Christ.

If you’re interested in volunteering, Jonathan Thie has these tips to help you get started:

  • Pick something your passionate about.  It will make the experience more rewarding.
  • Start small, and don’t over commit.  You can always increase your hours later.
  • Look for ways you can take on more responsibility with the volunteer organization.  Everyone’s on a different path, but Jonathan Thie has found that the more responsibility he had, the more he enjoyed the role.
  • Remember to have fun!

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