Charlie Hebdo Cover, Winter Memories, Wisconsin And Volunteering

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A new report found that Wisconsin ranks fifth in the nation for volunteering, with residents donating over a million hours of their time in one year. We get the story behind Wisconsinites’ willingness to volunteer, and learn the best way to start volunteering. We also explore winter memories in the state, and look at how media organizations are dealing with the publication of the new Charlie Hebdo cover in their reporting.

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  • Wisconsin Ranked One Of Top States For Volunteerism

    Wisconsin ranked fifth in the nation in terms of the percentage of residents who volunteered in 2013, according to a recent report from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

    Those high levels of volunteerism worked out to more than 1.6 million service hours at an estimated value of $3.7 billion.

    When trying to figure out why Wisconsinites are particularly good at volunteering, Julia Drobeck, executive director of the Volunteer Center of East Central Wisconsin, said that it’s worth considering the state’s agricultural roots.

    “When a farmer needed help, their neighbors would come to help them out with whatever task it was,” said Drobeck. “I think it just carried on from one generation to another. When we see someone in need, and someone asks us for help, we’re right there to help them out.”

    While a top-five ranking is pretty good, Drobeck said the state still has plenty of room for improvement.

    “The report said one out of three people are volunteering,” Drobeck said. “That means two of us aren’t. So, we can work on those other folks who aren’t volunteering.”

    Expert Offers Advice For How To Get Involved

    For those thinking about taking the plunge into volunteering for the first time, Drobeck recommended considering a few questions beforehand: How much time do you have? What’s your passion? What skill would you like to share?

    That said, volunteering doesn’t have to be all about what a person can teach, but maybe about what they’d like to learn.

    “Maybe it’s more about learning something new about the community, and meeting new people,” she said.

    Finding an organization that’s the right fit is the most important part of the process. Even if a person’s skill-set doesn’t match up with a given organization, it might still be worth checking out.

    “Wisconsin’s very good at having a lot of strong nonprofits that encourage and invite people to come into their agencies, but also give them that orientation and training,” said Drobeck.

    Drobeck had one other recommendation for aspiring volunteers: Bring along a friend.

    “As we’re out volunteering, we can invite someone to come with us and experience volunteering as well,” she said.

    Drobeck said that there are personal benefits to volunteering that are well-documented.

    “As volunteers, we receive that benefit of really knowing that we’re doing something to help someone else out, and we get that wonderful joy of giving back,” Drobeck said.

    Organizations certainly benefit too, as many rely on volunteers to do crucial work. However, volunteerism goes deeper than that.

    “Statistics show that as volunteers come into organizations, those volunteers become donors, and it creates that whole cycle,” Drobeck said.

    For more information about volunteer opportunities throughout the state, visit Volunteer Wisconsin and the Volunteer Center of East Central Wisconsin.

  • Media Organizations Grapple With Questions Over Publication Of New Charlie Hebdo Cover

    The new issue of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo hit newsstands today, and questions have been raised over republishing its controversial cover image as American news organizations flock to report on its release. A journalism professor explains why some news organizations aren’t running photos of the cover, and discusses the ethical issues faced by the ones who do decide to run it.

  • Wisconsin One Of The Best States For Volunteerism

    A recent report put Wisconsin near the top of the list when it comes to how many residents volunteer their time. An advocate for volunteerism talks about why Wisconsinites are quick and willing to pitch in and help out, and how you can get involved at an organization near you.

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Chris Malina Producer
  • Julia Drobeck Guest
  • Martha Steffens Guest

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