RSS 2.0 FeedThursday, December 15, 2011, Freeport-Baldwin Leader
Jim Reed: A volunteer’s volunteer
Examining what motivates a volunteer.
James W. Reed is a master communicator and a friend to hundreds of organizations, from local community groups to the United Nations.
For more than 25 years, Mr. Reed has used his network of connections to help others. Through both his role as deputy commissioner of the Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs, and his work with civic and charitable organizations, it is easy to see that education, combined with a happy and healthy life, is his priority.
Professionally, Mr. Reed was the former deputy commissioner of the Office of Consumer Affairs for Nassau County. He was also a founding member of the Nassau County Police Explorers Board of Directors, which helps youth, ages 14 to 20, succeed and excel in career opportunities, life skills, character development and leadership roles.
Additionally, Mr. Reed has served as a super-distinguished Lieutenant Governor of Kiwanis, a member of the Freeport Salvation Army Corps advisory board, a member of the Board of Directors at the Nassau County Salvation Army and a Government Liaison chair for the Long Island Chapter of ASIS International.
He believes strongly in public education and information, giving as many as 300 speeches a year. His assistance to diverse communities has been recognized and appreciated by those groups that have benefited from Mr. Reed’s lifelong commitment to make life better for all.
Much of Mr. Reed’s service to underserved communities has been in Long Beach, Westbury/Carle Place, Freeport, Uniondale, Roosevelt, Hempstead, Roslyn, Great Neck, and to international communities, such as the Philippines and Russia.
Mr. Reed has received the Community Leadership and Everyday Hero awards from Newsday, the Liberty Bell Award from the Nassau Bar Association, the School-to-Business Award from BOCES, the Long Island Latino Award from La Fiesta Radio, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award from Nassau County, among hundreds of other prestigious awards for his efforts on behalf of others.
Mr. Reed has solicited, obtained and distributed over $52 million in in-kind donations to not-for-profit agencies locally, nationally and across the world. James W. Reed is responsible for the permanent Kiwanis International “Young Children: Priority One” program and for their Iodine Deficiency Disorder international program to virtually eliminate IDD, the major cause of severe mental retardation in the world.
Mr. Reed has an extensive writing background, including writing newsletters and press releases for many of the organizations he belongs to, writing for his college (City College of New York) newspaper (an advice column for the lovelorn using a female pen name), writing for Latin Long Island Magazine, and preparing press releases for the Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs, where he affectionately earned the title of “media mogul.”
He has assisted other county agencies and organizations with their media exposure. He is well-known to television networks and cable stations, print media outlets and to numerous radio groups.
Mr. Reed resides in Oceanside and has three daughters. From what he has learned from the daily challenges as a single parent, he is better prepared for even greater issues in his public and private life.
What volunteering means to me
by Jim Reed
For almost 30 years I have volunteered my time, talents, expertise and labor to numerous community organizations in the hopes of helping those less fortunate than myself. I have come in contact with thousands of others who have dedicated themselves to improve the lives of others, whether within their communities or anywhere across the world. We help the many, or we help the few – a wonderful thing.
People volunteer for various reasons – to give back, since they are enjoying the good life; to do good and expose their businesses to others; or to just do good because there is a need.
One of the first entrees into volunteerism is to have someone ask us to get involved in a good cause. That is only the beginning. After that, this “do-gooding” often takes over our mind, spirit, heart, soul, and body, which is a good thing.
Volunteering, at first, may come in small doses. However, once this ‘virus’ builds up, you slowly, but surely, accelerate your efforts to make an even bigger difference, to the benefit of a few, or many. This may not be intentional, but it happens very often, whether we are conscious of it, or not.
This mysterious phenomenon overcomes and we succumb to being humanitarians of the world. There is no real explanation as to why we do what we do, but we do it.
Banding together in groups such as the Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Italy, Cancer Society and Arts Council, we tend to make a positive difference. For many, it is selfless sacrifice, and no one need know what we do or have done or intend to do. We are not looking for rewards or recognition, but are hopefully achieving the results we have sought to make.
“In numbers, there is strength,” and that is proven time and again through the efforts of these organizations. “Many hands make our work lighter” is another saying that is often heard, and it does apply nicely, since what may appear insurmountable often becomes an achievable task thanks to everyone’s joint efforts.
There are so many individuals or groups who make a difference but may not receive any fanfare for their actions and activities – people such as Tommy Valenti, Lois Howes, David Opatow, John Nuzzi, Kim Scharoff, Doug Mills, Joel Meyerowitz, Susan Axelrod, Joe Ventre, Robin Held-Asighieri, Darlene Mayers, Julie Marchesella, John Scott, Pat Buckland, Debra Mulé, and so many more.
If you know someone who should be recognized for what they do, send me an e-mail (jimreed207@gmail.com) with their name and contact information, and a description of their good deeds, so that we may contact them regarding inclusion in a future edition of this newspaper.
