You did what last Saturday?

On a Saturday in late July my daughter and I will drive three hours, don our hiking gear and climb to the top of a 6288 foot tall mountain, all to benefit people we have never met. Each year we spend a couple of months raising money for our climb to benefit a non-profit organization. There are plenty of unique things that folks do to raise money for charity, we happen to climb mountains. I’m happy to say that this has become an annual traditional for us. As well as some great daddy/daughter time, it raises money for a worthy non-profit. We both look forward to this and get pretty excited when the climbing day finally arrives.

However, there are other, more valuable things to be gained by this event. Not prizes, goodies or trinkets. It is instilling the idea in my children that giving back is part of what our family does. It’s building the understanding that there are greater things in our lives than us. I believe that by my daughter’s example she is inspiring someone, somewhere to do something that does not directly benefit them. It’s the concepts of volunteerism, personal effort to help a worthy cause and a sense of the greater good that I’m trying to develop within my kids. And for me, it goes even further than that.

The way I look at it is that each of us needs to give back to our communities in someway. That’s what makes where you live a better place. A social responsibility if you will. You pick your thing, whatever that is. Be a Scout leader, coach a youth sports team, do a road side pick up, volunteer for a board, run for a small town office. Even things as simple as buying Girl Scout cookies, going to breakfast at the firehouse or dropping a couple of bucks in the kettle as you walk by all contribute to the communities greater well being. You pick your way, what means something to you, and then go for it.

Now I’m not suggesting that you have to support each and every charity that comes to your door. But find something that triggers your passion. Donate a little money or even more importantly, some of your time if you can. You find the one thing that means the most to you, gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside each time you do something that supports it. I’ll bet that you’ll find you benefit just as much, or maybe more, than your cause does.

So if you happen to be on the top of a mountain on a Saturday in late July and see a sweaty, dirty and tired looking dad and daughter climbing team, that both have smiles on from ear to ear, you’ll know exactly what they feel so good about.