Work Days (and Why You Don't Need Us For Them)

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. -Anne Frank

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

Tired of it yet? The funny thing is, it's never really a problem. You're on the worksite, and a dozen or more fellow volunteers are swinging hammers...non-stop. How many nails does a house need, anyway? (Answer: a lot.) But there's someone next to you, cracking a joke about that TV show you discovered you both like. And when she makes fun of you when you bend yet another nail in half with a mighty swing, you know that it'll only be a few seconds before--there. Retribution. You're not exactly sure how houses go together, or how this particular piece of wood you're hitting with your hammer (as you try to hit the nail) is going to figure into the whole. But the site supervisor knows, and she'll tell you if you're interested. Otherwise, you can happily keep hammering nails and cracking jokes. The people who know what's going on will make sure that you aren't given any job bigger than you are, and mistakes can be fixed, so you keep working. And as you do...very slowly...you see the house come together. Suddenly, there are walls, and a roof, and rooms.

It's a neat experience.

This scene goes on all over the country, and people just like you, just like us, are the ones swinging the hammers. It doesn't pay anything, of course. Oh, maybe you'll get some lunch. Here in the midwest, there's often a decent Lutheran couple who shows up with chili. But no one hands you a check. You'll drive away that afternoon with your forearm aching a little (who spends time swinging hammers all day?), and your clothes might be dirty. But then you get to meet the homeowners, and they are very, very grateful. Their kids are excited about having their own rooms. And you drive away with a smile that won't quit.

We at Gamers For Humanity try to organize work days like this throughout the year. Organizations like Habitat For Humanity are constantly in need of volunteers--they have been putting volunteers like us to work for years, and they are very good at it. But here's the first secret: it's surprisingly easy to volunteer on your own. Even if you can't find a friend to come with you and you go by yourself, and you have no skills involving construction whatsoever...you'll find that most of the other volunteers are in the same boat. All it takes is the courage that first time, and you'll be hooked.

Here's the other secret: your boss will probably let you take a day to go volunteer, too. What company do you work for? Do you think they're going to want to be known as the company that wouldn't let its employees go volunteer to work for a charity? Take advantage of this.

And, of course, keep an eye on your inbox for when Gamers For Humanity is heading out to work in your area. What's that? We aren't scheduling work days in your area? For shame. Tell us, and we'll see what we can do. Odds are good that we know gamers in your area, and we can set something up.