By By Ruth Bass

Copyright berkshireeagle

RICHMOND — Every day, people drive, walk or hop a bus to work and are rewarded with a paycheck. And every day, people volunteer to do work that might be easier or harder, and they are rewarded only with a sense of satisfaction — a good feeling about contributing time to something they believe in.

Minus volunteers, the world around us could be more chaotic than it is, and we pretty much take for granted the 64 million Americans who give time to a cause or organization. When disaster strikes, they’re in the news: volunteer firefighters in our neighborhoods, teams from the American Red Cross at sites of floods and tornadoes, crews from the World Central Kitchen cooking food in war zones, pilots from Pilots n Paws getting rescued animals to shelters.

In a world where we are accused of being too concerned about wealth and status, Americans have been known for decades for their generosity when folks somewhere face calamity. We give and we go.

Mahatma Gandhi put it this way: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” And you make new friends along the way, even learn new skills as you build a house, organize a fund-raiser, help a neighbor.

Berkshire communities couldn’t function without volunteers. In Pittsfield alone, they are at churches and community centers to make sure that anyone who asks will get help with the gnawing problem of hunger. Like the Biblical legend of loaves and fishes, those with bread share by giving time, money or goods. Hundreds all over the county are fed every week.

Town governments manage on low budgets because volunteers shelve books in the library; clean up roadsides of coffee cups and beer cans; and serve on committees for roads, health, budgets, education, scholarships, fire department, land conservation and building projects. For a pittance, they also serve as jurors and select persons, plus staffing desks as poll workers on voting day. It’s remarkable.

In Richmond, a special group focuses on Richmond Pond, a major natural resource. Without compensation and depending on donations for expenses, they monitor the water, keep track of the annual drawdown, circulate warnings about zebra mussels (none so far) and work with the town on weed control among a multitude of other things.

What volunteering means to this town was clear at the annual pie-eating event in mid-September, once nicknamed the pie-nic and now bearing the more sophisticated title of pie social. This event once had a tent, music, grilled hot dogs and home-baked pies from local kitchens. One year, the sponsoring nonprofits voted to just “cut to the pie.” It’s quite a cut: more than 40 pies.

The major announcement at the pie social is who gets the Charles and Mary Kusik Citizenship Award, given in honor of a couple who gave endless hours to the town, he on the Planning Board and she with Community Health and the once indispensable town calendar.

The previous year’s recipient presents the award, so Pat Callahan reeled off a grocery-length list of what 55-year resident Dick Stover had contributed — and is still giving. He has been on three building committees, land trust board, sewer advisory board, zoning board of appeals and served in every capacity at the local church (“except pastor and choir director,” as he said), Darrow School board and involved with fundraising for fuel assistance. He apparently missed the School Committee.

Accepting his plaque, he challenged a couple of generations younger than he is (92) to volunteer and step up for the town where they’ve chosen to live. One of the ubiquitous studies indicates that volunteering for boards and projects is down across the country. But Americans still look out for their neighbors, offering rides, casseroles, conversation and comfort — with women volunteering at a higher rate than men. All the giver needs is a smile and a chance to smile back.