by Mary Rupert
Volunteering is part of Bill Rogers’ life.
He and his wife have been volunteers for many years in the Golden Gloves youth boxing program at Turner Recreation Center, where Rogers is a coach, and they also volunteer at other community events.
Rogers, a Kansas City, Kan., resident, was recently appointed to the Kansas Volunteer Commission by Gov. Sam Brownback. He said he was very excited for the opportunity to continue working to make not just Wyandotte County a better place, but the entire state of Kansas.
Rogers is the community coordinator for the Argentine Neighborhood Development Association. Quite often, Rogers can also be found in the audience at the Unified Government Commission meetings.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission works with volunteer programs throughout the state, including AmeriCorps volunteers, and makes grants to programs. AmeriCorps volunteers have been involved recently with programs in Kansas City, Kan.
More than 600 AmeriCorps volunteers are working throughout the state, according to the commission. The commission estimates that more than $7 million in federal funds are used for these programs statewide, which result in more than $90 million of services provided.
Rogers said often, young adults just out of college work as AmeriCorps volunteers on community programs, such as efforts to help adults get their General Education Development certificate, and it is a great use of resources.
The volunteer commission currently has been handling grant applications to fund AmeriCorps workers at such places as the YMCA, Harvesters and the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools.
Rogers, a graduate of Washington High School, has some advice for would-be volunteers: “Don’t volunteer at something that is not passionate to you,” he said. “If you volunteer at something you like, it’s not like you are a volunteer, it’s like you’re a participant. It’s like boxing to me. It’s not like work. My wife and I enjoy (volunteering) immensely.”
Volunteers are important in communities, Rogers said.
“I believe volunteers can literally change the face of the community,” he said.