by Elaine Miller, Community Engagement Coordinator, Connections Volunteer Center
Meet Carson Pingry.
If you ask Carson Pingry why he thinks others should volunteer, he may respond simply with, “Nothing bad can happen, so why not?”
Carson has been volunteering with his family since he was just four years old for Make A Difference Delaware County (MDDC). This family friendly event takes place the second Saturday in November each year, and through a partnership with SourcePoint pairs volunteers with older adults to complete outdoor chores at their homes. While it’s always hard work, Carson remembers his years of volunteering with his friends and family for MDDC fondly – and looks forward to this year’s event. He shares that with MDDC being outdoors, it doesn’t feel like work.
“It’s good to know you’re helping people. It makes you feel good and it’s the right thing to do,” Carson said.
In the summer of 2021, Carson tried a new volunteer role with Liberty Community Center (LCC), a local, non-profit child care center. Once or twice a week all summer, Carson and a friend would spend a morning helping teachers with tasks like cleaning classrooms, preparing food, prepping classroom activities, playing with toddlers, and rocking babies to sleep. The teachers (and kids) loved Carson’s endless energy and gentle nature.
According to articles from Time & Scholastic, volunteering from a young age has a range of benefits from improved physical and mental health, to better grades. Volunteering helps students learn to better manage their time and solve problems while developing and improving social skills. Parents can support their children by helping them identify a volunteer opportunity that fits in with their interests and volunteering with them in one or two hour increments. Kids are more likely to volunteer long term if their early volunteer experiences are fun and age appropriate!
While Carson’s volunteer experiences have varied widely, he’s developed similar skills each time like communication, leadership, and flexibility. As he prepares for his next phase in life by finishing up his senior year of high school and heading off to college, some lessons Carson will take with him from his years of volunteering are how to get involved in a community, and independence. He said, “Sometimes you have to figure things out on your way.”
Carson’s favorite pastimes always bring him to one place: outdoors. Inherited from his adventurous parents, Carson’s interests range from skiing (snow and water), to mountain biking.
A dedicated runner, Carson has found community as a cross country and track athlete. His Coach, Nate Ritz, shared that not only is Carson a great athlete, but also a supportive and dependable teammate. On top of participating in his favorite hobbies as much as possible, Carson is a great student and a member of the National Honor Society (NHS) through which he also volunteers each year for the fair.
Thank you, Carson, for showing our community how much you can give to others at any age!
