By AGNES PASCO CONATY

Courtesy of Agnes Pasco Conaty
As I write this column on New Year’s Eve, I’m looking back on the year that is about to end. Which were the most rewarding events of 2024 for me? I must say that next to those that made members of my family happy, there are events that added value to people around me: I helped minorities gain life skills, I gave my students learning opportunities, and I spoke to communities about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). What do these experiences have in common? I was volunteering my time and talent, sharing my personal resources to benefit others.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., American civil rights leader, said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Here in Laurel, we can give of ourselves during the city’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, which will benefit cancer patients receiving care at the University of Maryland Laurel Medical Center. (For more information, go to tinyurl.com/zaa7wa65.) My family and friends in the Filipino-American community once organized blankets and bagged lunches at a similar day of service event.
That’s for starters. In the Laurel community and beyond, there are many other ways we can volunteer throughout the year. I’m listing a few of my favorites here.
Do you love animals? There are opportunities in the area to care for cats and dogs. With Laurel Cats (laurelcats.org), you can assist by fostering, helping with adoption events or participating in community outreach. At Fidos for Freedom (fidosforfreedom.org), you can help train service dogs or organize events to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.
Are you captivated by art? Volunteer with the Laurel Arts Council (tinyurl.com/2jjb8a75), which supports local arts in the community. Are you into live theater? The Laurel Mill Playhouse (millplayhouse.org) needs volunteers for casting, set design and behind-the-scenes support.
If you’re interested in supporting vulnerable populations, consider volunteering with Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland (mealsonwheelsmd.org). You could participate in delivering nutritious meals to homebound people in our area. The Laurel Winter Shelter program, housed at the Craig A. Moe Laurel Multiservice Center (tinyurl.com/25wkcpcr), is seeking volunteers to support unhoused clients. And food pantries in and around Laurel rely on donations; my family regularly provides food to Elizabeth House (fishoflaurel.org), a soup kitchen and pantry that serves bagged lunches and dinners to those in need. Food pantries and distribution centers especially appreciate receiving canned goods, rice and other pantry staples.
Interested in environmental conservation? Consider volunteering at the Patuxent Research Refuge (tinyurl.com/mw544z28) to support environmental education and wildlife conservation. Volunteers can participate in education programs, grounds keeping, trail monitoring and hosting at the visitor center. The City of Laurel Tree Board (tinyurl.com/yc3trcx7) welcomes volunteers who are eager to participate in initiatives that protect and enhance our tree canopy.
The city of Laurel has many other advisory boards and committees that need dedicated volunteers, including the Multicultural Advisory Committee, the Parks and Recreation Citizens Advisory Committee, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizens Advisory Committee. Donating your time and interest to any one of these will allow you to have a direct impact on the city’s policies and community development.
The city also hosts celebrations that rely on volunteers to organize and present — the Fourth of July, Independence Day and Juneteenth all come to mind. An online search for these events here in Laurel will offer useful information about ways you can participate, especially as we draw closer to these events.
For many of us who catch the volunteering bug, giving of ourselves becomes a year-round involvement. Volunteering is a powerful way to learn new skills, meet new people, give back to your community — and enrich our own lives along the way. 2025 will mark yet another year of volunteering for me, and I hope you’ll join me in creating your own year of giving, too.