Public Relations

Introduction
A. Attention Getter: Has anyone ever stopped to help you when you were in
need? How did it make you feel?
B. Main Thesis: Volunteering in your local community will help those around you
and help you feel like you have contributed something positive and it is easier
than most people think.
C. Establish Credibility: If we all did our part to help those in need, our community
would be a better and safer place to live. By doing this, we can achieve a greater
sense of accomplishment. I try and do five or six volunteer activities each month
and can tell you of the personal benefits from volunteering that I have
experienced.
D. Preview: Today, I will talk about the needs in our community. Secondly, the
ways that you can help out and lastly, what our community could look like if we all
did our part.
Transition: Volunteering in your local community is great way to give back and set a positive
example at the same time. Let’s take a look at some of the problems in our
community that affect many people.
Body
I. The problems in our community are great and affect us all in one way or another.
A. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2003 the estimated
volunteer rate across the country was nearly 29%, meaning 29% of Americans
volunteered at some point during the year in question
1. This number included those who volunteered their time to help serve
food in shelters, provide tutoring to underprivileged kids, or assist an elderly neighbor
in getting to an appointment on time
2. But last year, the volunteer rate dropped to 25.4% – the lowest it’s
been in more than a decade.
B. Because of these increased poverty levels in our community, food pantries and
shelters are at or over capacity.
1. The largest homeless shelters have had to start limiting the amount of
time a person can stay because of the increase in demand.
2. One food pantry I volunteer for has had to cut its operating hours simply
because it does not have enough food. This is becoming a nationwide trend.
C. Due to the increases in poverty, the crime rates in our community have also
increased.
1. A local paper reports a 14% increase in petty theft of property.
2. The local police published an article saying that many of these increase
thefts are due to people pawning the stolen property in order to pay for food and
prescriptions.
Transition: It is clear that our local community is in great need, but fortunately there are many
ways to solve these problems.
II. If we all agreed to volunteer at least once a month to help out those in need, we could
alleviate many of the problems.
A. According to a local food pantry, it is always in need of more canned goods and
other non-perishable items.
1. One step could be for us to create a continuous food drive in the
residential halls here at GWC and encourage students to donate a few cans of food
each week. Cans that come in parent “care packages,” and sit on the shelf for the rest of
the semester would be great candidates.
2. Food pantries are also currently seeking long-term and short-term
volunteers to help organize and deliver the food to those in need.
B. The local elementary schools can establish an after-school program made up of
university students to interact with children affected by poverty.
1. In this program, students from the university could read, play basketball,
or just serve as good role models for the kids.
2. The volunteers in this program could also work with the parents to find
help and utilize resources available to them that can help their children succeed in
school.
C. There is a high demand and a lack of resources and funding at homeless
shelters. Many of these shelters are currently in need of repairs and could use UWEC
student workers to clean, repaint, and perform basic repairs on parts of the shelter.
Transition: Now that we have gone over three specific areas in which we could volunteer to
help our local community, let’s talk about some of the benefits.
III. Helping the local community deal with our poverty issues will benefit us all.
A.. First, children would be better served in our community with the increased help at
the food pantries and the after-school programs.
1. Studies have found that after-school programs help greatly with increasing
standardized test scores (Little, Wimer, & Weiss, 2007).
2. In addition, children who have positive role models are less likely to become
involved in criminal activity as teenagers and adults (Boyes, Hornick, & Ogden, 2010).
B. Second, this plan of action would greatly enhance the ability of local officials and
service providers to solve the problems in our community.
1. By volunteering, we are freeing up the time of officials and service
providers to find other governmental solutions to the needs of the rest of the community.
2. Also, by volunteering, we are giving the workers at the food pantry and
shelters some much needed relief.
C. And lastly, volunteering to help your fellow citizens will make you feel better.
1. I find that, even if I am having a bad day, by volunteering I realize that I
can make a difference in the world, and my mood lifts.
2. Plus, volunteering is not a bad thing to put on your résumé.
3. . The more you volunteer, the more people you get to meet!
Conclusion:
A. Restate main thesis: Today, I discussed why we all should volunteer to help
those in need,provided three easy things you can do to help out, and finally
demonstrated some of the benefits of volunteering,
B. Anticipating the end: Overall, You never know when you yourself might need
help one day. I encourage you all to volunteer in our community to help those in
need. A sheet of paper that has the web addresses and phone numbers for
whom to contact to volunteer is coming around the room.
C. Application to the audience: Also, you will find the campus volunteering office
information if you would like more information.
D. Summary: Please do your part to help our community reach its highest potential.

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