Currin and hundreds of other Daniel Island volunteers are the driving force behind a number of special events and worthwhile causes on Daniel Island. At the 2008 Family Circle Cup, some 550 volunteers provided a multitude of services including assisting players and guests, ticketing, court maintenance, updating draw boards and scoreboards, ushering, ball retrievals during matches and more.

"The best way to feel good about yourself is to do something for someone else," said Jo Cooper, the 2008 Family Circle Cup volunteer coordinator. "Our volunteers pitch in to do what needs to be done to pull this tournament together. We had 51 Daniel Island residents volunteer this year. Each year our numbers are growing island-wide. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and watch the best tennis in the world."

Barbara McLaughlin, manager of Community Services for the Daniel Island Property Owners’ Association, shudders to think what life on Daniel Island would be like without volunteers.

"Volunteers are the backbone of successful events in our community," said McLaughlin, who oversees a variety of special events, both large and small, on the island. "The achievements at many of our events are attributable to our volunteers and their contributions of their time and energy. Many of our volunteers are those who return to us event after event and are very committed to their roles…We would have a hard time existing without volunteers. They are enormously helpful to our efforts and are the lifeblood of our community."

About 20 to 30 individuals volunteer on a regular basis at the Daniel Island School, said Katherine Smith, volunteer chair for the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Volunteers serve vital roles in assisting teachers with day-to-day tasks, reading with students and providing extra help in other subject areas, as well as running special events like last Saturday’s "Springtime on the Farm" school carnival.

"We usually have about 20 percent of the people doing 80 percent of the work!" said Smith. "…Fortunately, we have some really amazing volunteers who are at the school almost every day. It goes without saying that if we didn’t have this core group of volunteers, we would not be able to offer some of the great programs and events that we have."

Kristen Odell, a parent volunteer and newly elected PTA president for the 2008-2009 school year, is a familiar face at the Daniel Island School. She is a "room mom" for both her sons’ classes and has also taken an active role in planning events and programs as part of the PTA’s family involvement committee.

"For me, it’s to help the school where my children are going, and also to help the teachers who are making a difference in their lives," said Odell, who spent some time last week cutting out ladybugs from construction paper as part of a journal project for Stephanie Sykes, her son’s first grade teacher. "The more I’ve been here, the more I appreciate what the teachers do. It just feels like the right thing to do!"

"I am very thankful that my parents are eager to help out and I appreciate the time commitment they have made," said Sykes of the help she receives from volunteers like Odell. "I feel that they are more aware of what goes on in the classroom and I appreciate the relationships I have developed with them. Having them help me also enables me to spend more time with my family."

For the Daniel Island School and a number of other island facility’s and organizations, the importance of volunteerism cannot be overstated.

"It builds social ties, reduces isolation, provides the satisfaction of accomplishment and makes Daniel Island a vibrant place to live," added McLaughlin. "

"In today’s world, there are a lot of families where both parents work full time," said Smith. "It’s understandable that time is precious and people can’t do all they would like to. But volunteering, even as little as one hour a week, can benefit the school, teachers and kids in so many ways. Not to mention what it does for you! It gives you and your child a sense of pride to know that you are involved. There’s that little saying, ‘it takes a village’, and I believe that!"