When I was about 10 years old, my father told me that living in a community comes with responsibilities. It is the responsibility of every person to give a little of themselves for the benefit of others, he said. Some people fundraise for the school, others plan events or take the time to bring a casserole to a neighbor who has fallen on tough times. My father chose to volunteer in the fire department; I do, too, and also for the ambulance service.
Volunteering is time consuming and usually thankless. Why do I do it? Because I believe in paying it forward. Because at some point my family or I are going to need help and I want the service to be there when we call for it. And because I can’t ask anyone else to sacrifice if I am unwilling to.
Unfortunately, not everyone feels that way. Volunteerism is dying. As a result, Boulder Ambulance — like so many rural ambulance services nationwide — desperately needs members willing to give a little of themselves for the benefit of others.
