Scanning the list of "events," I see the large majority of them involve handing things over -- food, clothes, toys, etc. The other events are visiting people (seniors / hospice workers).

Volunteer service is nice, it contributes to community, and probably helps you feel better to do it. But it's no substitute for gov't service.

I only point this out because plenty of conservative evangelicals seem to think that having gov't programs inhibits the natural volunteer impulse which itself could turn the world in a utopia; but there's clearly a limit with what you can do with volunteer labor. A lot of tasks require a lot of full-time, dedicated and trained worker -- workers who need to pay rent and buy gas.

I've got to go to work, but I've already done 14 years of government service in the USN. I hope that's enough.

Agree with inkadu, @ 22:45. I volunteer, fairly regularly (ca 20hrs a month) at our Free Clinic (dental "division"), washing the instruments. It's nice, it's useful (frees others to do more specialised jobs) and it does make me feel good. But, it's unreliable. Because I'm a volunteer, I might decide not to get out of bed one cold morning and wouldn't feel too bad about it -- the labourer, worth, hire, etc. In which case, the few *paid* people (some of the technicians and assistants)would have twice as much work to do, for the same pay. And, of course, nobody would think of hiring an extra person to help them because, hopefully, there'll be a volunteer.

It's a screwed up system and it shouldn't be necessary. Especially not in areas like foodbanks and healthcare. It's one thing for everyone to pitch in with help in an extraordinary situation (like Katrina); it's an entirely different thing to rely on volunteers on an ongoing basis.

I won't be volunteering tomorrow; this week it's Thursday. We used to have a nice thing going, with the clinic taking place every Friday plus one Saturday a month. But, our dentists are volunteers too, and some of them cannot afford to close their office on Fridays anymore. So, one will be coming one Thursday a month, another one Wednesday a month. I cannot make it on Wednesdays; prior standing commitment. Almost decided not to go this Thursday, because my "Dem Hens" will be having their once-a-month lunch and I hate to miss it... Volunteering is good, but it should not be the cornerstone of our services.

I wasn't suggesting it as an alternative to government programs. You're right: it's much too unreliable. I just think it's a really good thing that Obama is making a point of it, and making it easy.

And, yes, I think 14 years in the Navy counts. ;)

I would serve the community by helping our garage utility service convert to metered waste pick up, thus saving tons and tons of co2 output.

But unfortunately the service is run by the city and is off duty! Hence, my community service is interrupted by MLK day, would Obama like to eliminate MLK day so I can perform my public service?

I'm actually taking a rest. My life has been devoted to public service and I've worn myself out by being so driven. I'm sick as a dog for the first time in years. So I won't be able to go to the Inaugeration as planned, and have an enforced rest on MLK day as well. Hopefully these two days of rest will enable me to return to my work strengthened.

I loved having this opportunity of service delivered to my in-box and am excited about answering the call. I have a bag of food to be delivered to a neighbor that's collecting food in our neighborhood to deliver to the local food bank; I'm bringing personal hygiene items to a neighborhood group that is putting together packets for sexual assault victims; and my husband and I are cleaning up all the broken glass around a nearby park where we walk our dogs (for some reason there's a lot of it around).

I hope each of you has a wonderful MLK day and woohoo for Tuesday.

I think the brilliance is actually better than just encouraging service, it's encouraging decentralized service. Don't just go to the soup kitchen one day a year, although that's great, go find a problem that needs solving and address it yourself. You don't need to wait for someone to tell you what to do, you know something in your community that needs doing, so go do it.

Thank you
I signed up my wife and we will be signing up many of our friends
This is a great resource for people like us who want to donate time but need a way to connect to groups needing assistance.

Bravo Obama for using your technological prowess and community organizational spirit to provide an efficient way for ordinary Americans to affect change in the lives of those who need it most.

It truly is the dawn of a new beginning in this country

President Bush currently earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 expense account, a $100,000 nontaxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment Retired presidents now receive a pension based on the salary of the current administration's cabinet secretaries (Executive Level I), which is $191,300 as of 2008 Some former presidents have also collected congressional pensions.[18] The FPA, as amended, also provides former presidents with travel funds and mailing privileges.

Why should the people serve when we pay public servants (snicker) to do the work of government?

I'll be reading to kids at a local elementary school tomorrow, but then I've been doing that for 10 of the last 12 years on a weekly basis when school's in session.

My Mom and my sister will be shopping for food to take to the local food bank. I am grateful to have this chance, above and beyond my usual volunteering, to show my support for my new president and his ideas.

The Obama organization did a great thing by putting this stuff online. I can't wait to be even more involved.

Just a thought here that may or may not apply to most of us, but I own a dog boarding business. Like most small business owners I have no time to do anything but work. But I thought we could help by incorporating what my business does into helping out someone who needs help. We board pets free for people who are losing their homes or are otherwise screwed (hurricane refugees for example) until they can take them back. It may not sound life changing but for some people, after the shock of losing everything even the smallest act of kindness by a stranger who isn't paid to help can mean a great deal. Many of us consider pets as family members and losing them is far more devastating than losing the house. Anyway, if you can't help outside of work maybe you can help while working. By the way, after three years of doing this we have never been forced to rehome or otherwise dispose of a dog who had been abandoned by a distressed family. Everyone we have helped got back on their feet to one degree or another, with the help of family or strangers like me or gov't agencies but usually all of the above. Since I started this my faith in humanity has been renewed. I honestly believe now that Americans can do anything as long as we stick together. Maybe eight years of every man for himself has drawn us together like prosperity couldn't. We should be able to have both.

Until I no longer have to work a full time job and a part time job/internship I've got no time to "volunteer" to anything, especially not on a day I'm scheduled to work 11 hours. I can't keep a roof over my head and gas in my tank on the well-wishes of others, sorry.

Just curious, but who exactly MLK Day off anyway besides government bureaucrats?

Re food banks. We get these drives periodically -- students, post office workers, grocery stores -- will collect food for food banks. But, when I talked to the people who work there (both volunteers and the paid staff), they all said that they much prefer money to actual food. For one thing, it allows them to buy something fresher than the standard pasta in a box or veg in a can. Also, because they buy in bulk, they get a better deal -- bigger bang for a buck -- than we do at a grocery store.

So, if you can't volunteer time (and yes, they always need volunteers), give them a check rather than a can of beef stew of green beans; the same amount of money will be used more efficiently by them than it ill be by you. And, given the stressful times, we do need to make every dollar work as hard as possible.