What am I doing to give back?

[blupaddler]

I cannot recommend the CERT program enough. As an instructor, the topics covered and lessons learned are invaluable.

If your neighborhood or city has a CERT program, join up.

https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/
:arabia:

 

[PhulesAU]

Rant ON.... I don't do Give back! None of the other people on this planet GAVE me anything. My family gave me love and help when needed. I volunteer because people I don't know might need help, and I'm trained and prepard to give it. Rant OFF. SAR in Texas is a ROYAL PAIN. each county is responsible for it's own operations, and there are still NO State standards. With 252 counties, being in your local small town FD you will likely see more up close and immediate need for help than anywhere else. There seem to be a lot of use that can and will help at a moments notice. It's not doing good, it's just doing right. I still belive it's the right thing to help, even though I'm afflicted with the " no good deed goes unpunished syndrom". Help if you can, Stay out of the way if you can't. Join an orginization. with all of the restrictions based on past experince, if you just show up wanting to help. there's a good chance you'll be told you're not welcome.

 

[Carl2500]

What am I doing with my truck to help out? I pick up litter when I can. I always stop when a car is stuck in the snow, or if someone needs a jump. It's not much, and yes, I wish I could do a little more.
I've recently joined CAP, and am really interested in joining SAR in my area as well. I also plan to get my license, and have a mobil HAM radio in my truck.

 

[dhackney]

Rant ON.... I don't do Give back! None of the other people on this planet GAVE me anything. My family gave me love and help when needed. I volunteer because people I don't know might need help, and I'm trained and prepard to give it. Rant OFF.

After 50 years and $600 billion dollars worth of giving there has been close to zero rise in living standards in Africa. I agree that simply giving accomplishes nothing for the recipient. All it does is make the giver feel better. A hand out is the kiss of death. A hand up, a helping hand extended, is the opportunity for a better life. But the person getting the hand up has to invest energy into the climb or they go nowhere.

The only "giving" programs we've seen that work, that are sustainable, are ones that require the local people to be stakeholders and have investment. They also must be a priority of the local people and they must make sense in their context.

We've seen concrete block houses unoccupied because the local people don't like cold hard concrete, they prefer the soft and natural environment of wood and dirt.

We've seen abandoned clinics with stripped ambulances because the donors simply dropped it out of the sky with no trained support staff and no trained mechanics and spare parts available for more than 1,000 miles.

Simply giving accomplishes nothing but make you feel better. Writing a check to a big logo charity or handing out cash accomplishes exactly zero out here on the ground.

RE: no good deed goes unpunished syndrome
We teach our kids this is simply a test to see why you did it in the first place. If, like you, you did it because it's the right thing to do, then you'll keep on doing the right thing. If you did it because you just wanted to feel better about yourself, you'll get beaten down by the "no good deed goes unpunished" test and become just another bitter cynic.

 

[DaktariEd]

After 50 years and $600 billion dollars worth of giving there has been close to zero rise in living standards in Africa. I agree that simply giving accomplishes nothing for the recipient. All it does is make the giver feel better. A hand out is the kiss of death. A hand up, a helping hand extended, is the opportunity for a better life. But the person getting the hand up has to invest energy into the climb or they go nowhere.

The only "giving" programs we've seen that work, that are sustainable, are ones that require the local people to be stakeholders and have investment. They also must be a priority of the local people and they must make sense in their context.

We've seen concrete block houses unoccupied because the local people don't like cold hard concrete, they prefer the soft and natural environment of wood and dirt.

We've seen abandoned clinics with stripped ambulances because the donors simply dropped it out of the sky with no trained support staff and no trained mechanics and spare parts available for more than 1,000 miles.

Simply giving accomplishes nothing but make you feel better. Writing a check to a big logo charity or handing out cash accomplishes exactly zero out here on the ground.

RE: no good deed goes unpunished syndrome
We teach our kids this is simply a test to see why you did it in the first place. If, like you, you did it because it's the right thing to do, then you'll keep on doing the right thing. If you did it because you just wanted to feel better about yourself, you'll get beaten down by the "no good deed goes unpunished" test and become just another bitter cynic.

Well said. :26_7_2:
I've seen exactly the same thing where we worked in western Kenya. Nice water systems connected to nothing, rusted and unused. No community ownership and no ability to maintain the electric pump (what electricity???).

Better were programs where the locals pitched in, raised some funds, and devised a low tech solution to whatever problem they (the locals, not the BINGOs) identified.

I think most all of us here (anyone with the money to own a computer and surf online at least) owes a debt at a minimum to the planet. IMO, we are stewards, not owners.

No time to get deep into this, but thanks Lance for braving the topic...

 

[taco2go]

The most important thing is to just do it, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Giving back to your community and your world will give you rewards you will never experience financially or materially. And, by doing so, you will introduce your children to the experience and those rewards.

Doug

I absolutely agree. It wonderful to see so many well travelled members on this forum who also have such a gracious predisposition.
It just takes one trip to the developing world......

 

[Spikepretorius]

Well I'm feeling chuffed with myself. I just had my first Search and Rescue call out.

Four teenage climbers got up to mischief and spent the night on the back slopes of Table Mountain. (It's school holidays here at the moment) Well during the night some serious weather arrived and they were in trouble.

Cutting a long story short they got down safely. Just the beginnings of hypothermia apparently.

Here in the Cape we have an organisation called Wilderness Search and Rescue which is a collaboration between government agencies and the voluntary groups such as SAR teams from 4x4, mountain, high-angle, etc etc.
So I've joined the Off Road Rescue Unit which is a signatory to this whole thing and they call us when needed.

A nice bit of excitement to cheer up my dreary wet winter day. And I'm no longer a newbie

 

[offroad_nomad]

Well done. With SAR, you now have even more of an excuse to modifiy your vehicle. :safari-rig:

Well I'm feeling chuffed with myself. I just had my first Search and Rescue call out.

Four teenage climbers got up to mischief and spent the night on the back slopes of Table Mountain. (It's school holidays here at the moment) Well during the night some serious weather arrived and they were in trouble.

Cutting a long story short they got down safely. Just the beginnings of hypothermia apparently.

Here in the Cape we have an organisation called Wilderness Search and Rescue which is a collaboration between government agencies and the voluntary groups such as SAR teams from 4x4, mountain, high-angle, etc etc.
So I've joined the Off Road Rescue Unit which is a signatory to this whole thing and they call us when needed.

A nice bit of excitement to cheer up my dreary wet winter day. And I'm no longer a newbie

 

[CoastalDefender]

http://www.pcsar4x4.org something interesting that might be in your area

Dang, only two counties away. Wish we had that here.