Today's post comes courtesy of Nicholas Hall, founder of Volunteer to See. You can visit the website at www.volunteertosee.com, become a fan on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter at @volunteertosee. Thank you, Nicholas!

At Volunteer to See we aim to change the way people think about their vacations, conventions, and family trips. I would like to take some time to tell you about our slogan; Travel, Serve, See.

Travel

I believe travel is one of the greatest educational tools in the world. People can see photographs or read stories, but when they find themselves at the foot of Mt. St Helens or Boston Harbor it completely changes the way they view this country. The United States is very large and traveling it allows a person the opportunity to experience all the joys and wonders that makes America a great place to live.

Serve

I salute the individual that sorts donations at a food bank week in and week out, to me this is what defines a great person. However, volunteering to me is about exploring new ideas, places and experiences. It is about testing yourself while helping others. People need help in Detroit as much as they need help in Phoenix. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone does not mean a month in an African village, but can mean a weekend volunteering in New Orleans or building trails in Rocky Mountain National Park.

See

Seeing is the culmination of the voluntourism experience. Anyone can buy a plane ticket to visit New York City. It takes an entire different breed of adventurer to sign up to volunteer with a soup kitchen while visiting the Big Apple. The rewards for this adventurer are greater than can be imagined. Friends, memories, and an impact will be made that lasts longer than the Broadway show. Taking time to volunteer on a vacation or trip, gives a person a chance to see so much more.

This is what we aim to do with Volunteer to See, we want to create opportunities and inspire people to use their vacations, conventions, and trips as a way to make lasting positive impact on the world.

Image credit: Paul Sableman.