As part of your New Year Resolutions, consider volunteering, and of course I recommend you volunteer in a park near you. Volunteering has many benefits, including for your physical and mental health. You can do more than just vow to lose weight and exercise more.

Recently, there has been research that indicates volunteering provides individual health benefits in addition to social benefits. This research has established a strong relationship between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer.

Volunteering can be renewing. Sometimes we just need a break in our routine. Volunteering around a personal interest or hobby can be fun, relaxing and energizing. That energy can carry over to a work situation and sometimes helps to relieve work tensions and foster new perspectives for old situations

Perhaps you are new to West Seattle: Volunteering offers incredible networking opportunities. Volunteering in your community allows you to meet new people, including community leaders. You may develop life long personal or communal relationships.

Volunteering gives you the satisfaction of knowing you are doing good and being involved in your community. If you feel strongly about something that is happening or not happening in your community, get involved. Make a difference in our environment or with our young people.

Camp Long has a work party every first Saturday of the month from 10 am to 1 pm. We build trails, remove ivy, plant trees and shrubs, and generally work to restore our forest to a biologically diverse and ecologically functioning system. Call Jason Goetz to let us know you are coming at 423-0762.

Longfellow Creek, Roxhill Bog, Schmitz Park, Lincoln Park . . . the ways you can help the environment are endless. There are also many community centers where you can volunteer. Contact Janine VanSanden for more information at 206-684-4557.