Ever since I was a young boy my singular mission in life has been to make the world a better place for people of all ethnicities and all creeds. Volunteering in your local community is something anyone can do, no matter their age or background.
When I was a child, I used to volunteer with my church and it involved raking leaves for the elderly at their homes, or delivering cookies to the local nursing home that we would bake during Sunday school. These acts of volunteerism fueled me at a young age to give back, and showed me that the world is a much more loving place when people dedicate their time for the sake of others. As I grew into my teenaged years, I began to distance myself from church due to work, football practice, and family reasons. However, my love for volunteering never dwindled.
When I was 17 years old, I walked into my local volunteer fire house. The room was full of men ranging from ages 20-60 and I was undoubtedly the youngest person in the room. Yet these men welcomed me with open arms and offered to show me what the fire service was all about. After a few weekly meetings, I learned more than I could have ever imagined and was beginning to consider these people mentors and friends. I saw how tightly-knit they were, and I desperately wanted to be a part of that. So a few weeks later, I did it. I put pen to paper and signed my name to become a volunteer firefighter just days after my 18th birthday. That weekend, I was sent to the Morris county Fire Academy in New Jersey. Classes were twice a week, and ran for 10 hours on Saturdays. I knew the academy would be difficult, and it would certainly be time consuming requiring 200 hours of training.
On my first day, I showed up to class and once again noticed that I was the youngest person in the room. The room was full of career fireman earning a check for completing their classes, yet I was going for free. These paid fireman noticed this as the course went along, and I was surprised by how appreciative they were of my volunteer service. A few long, hard, months later, I stood side by side with them at graduation.
Fast forward to present day and all I can say is becoming a volunteer firefighter was the best decision I ever made in my life. The feeling you get when you help someone at a brutal car accident, or put out a fire before an entire house is destroyed is the most rewarding feeling in the world. Those old men who I met day one have become people that I consider my brothers and my family. The personal reward that you feel from volunteering is unmatched, and I cannot express how appreciative I am of all volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel. These people deserve to be recognized for the time and effort they put in to making the community a better place. I am proud as can be to be a volunteer firefighter, and I cannot imagine a life without volunteering my time for the sake of my neighbors, friends, and family.