By his hard work, my father and others like him have formed a strong building block for the foundation of society. These men, who have taught their children the value of self-discipline and the benefits of hard work, have also shown people around the world what it means to be American. They provide for themselves and their families, not accepting "free" government money. They are financially independent and morally upright. On the flip side, there are people who wait on the government to pay their bills, not realizing nor caring that the government's money comes from, their next-door neighbor. These people are a burden to society by not stepping up to do their community service. Of course, once the government begins to give out money, irresponsibility grows like weeds and families fall apart right and left.

Similarly, service to one's neighbor is essential to any strong society. Neighbors are a kind of extended family, requiring respect and care. Serving one's neighbors in small ways, like giving them eggs for cookies or shoveling their driveway, fosters friendship and strengthens the community. Neighbors, like family members, get old and when they cannot take care of themselves as well as they used to, their neighbors step up to help care for them. This kind of community service uplifts our fellow man and protects our individual liberties from government encroachment disguised as welfare.

Last but not least, volunteer service to organizations is an effective way to impact specific problems within the community. Groups like the Pregnancy Care Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the food bank and the animal shelter accomplish great things around town by taking only a little of a volunteer's time. With a little time from a lot of people, these groups thrive, creating a more complete society.

Sometimes my impatience causes trouble within my family or with people I work with, but as I have grown, I have learned to reconcile these difficulties with patience by better understanding my role and responsibility in other's lives. I have also come to see that there are limits to the amount of service I can give those around me.

Volunteering around town to help the community certainly has its impact, but we must never forget that the most effective and lasting service is service to our families. By dedicating time to our families and neighbors, we enrich the lives of those around us and make our country a better place to live.