March 20, 2015: Volunteering requires time — but the rewards are great, by Dr. Jeremy Will
Most communities are blessed with a lot of amazing individuals, all with their own gifts.
Those gifts may be artistic, athletic, or intellectual, but I believe what makes a community special, and sets itself apart from others, is when those people share their gifts and talents with others.
In the last few years, I have been lucky enough to work with many people from Concordia who share in this belief of civic responsibility through the giving of their talents.
Most of that time for me has been devoted to the youth of Concordia.
I was thrilled to be involved in the planning and execution of the Concordia Park Project last year. As a newcomer to town, it was exciting to see how the whole town was energized and unified in the idea of making City Park a better place for children. I was given the opportunity to work with some devoted citizens that were ready to not only donate money to support the cause, but also time, skilled labor and experience.
That whole process, which for a lot of people was a lot longer than one week, was really all about figuring out how you can help out. I felt it went a long way in bringing the community together, in addition to constructing a really amazing park for the kids.
The winter months, for me, are spent coaching youth wrestling for Con-Kids Wrestling Club.
I coach kids who range in age from 3 and 4 all the way up to junior high students. The time demand is quite significant with practices and weekend tournaments, but the return is very high.
The return is getting to see kids struggle, learn, persevere, and grow. It is a rewarding, yet demanding sport where you learn the values of discipline and hard work.
As a coach, I am excited when kids win, but more importantly, I’m there to help them when they lose. That creates the best opportunity for a kid to learn and get better when handled well.
I’m privileged to work with some great club directors, club coaches and high school coaches who help on a nightly basis.
Our program is really striving hard to create young wrestlers who are willing to work hard, be respectful and have fun along the way. I enjoy the process of working with the other coaches to develop wrestlers, watching them succeed and then transferring those skills over to other aspects of life.
That was the real key to volunteer “work” for me. I had to decide what it was I enjoyed doing, figure out what my own talents were and then try to see how they could best help others.
When you’re able to find projects that fit your personality and you’re able to work with great people with similar goals, the reward is better and the personal investment of time and energy will not seem as big of a demand.
— Dr. Jeremy Will, originally from Gypsum, Kan., received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and doctorate from Logan Chiropractic College before opening Concordia Spine & Sport in 2013.