Volunteering really pays off Published May 6, 2016 By Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- People volunteer every day for various reasons to assist in maintaining the well-being of the community. Whether they know it or not, volunteering impacts lives, develops new skills and provides network opportunities. It is a fundamental aspect in giving back to the community, and the result can pay off in the end. Recently, a check was presented to U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV, the 509th Bomb Wing commander during the annual Whiteman AFB volunteer award ceremony on behalf of the dedicated volunteers who sacrificed hours to give back to the community. Raxsel Colburn, a 509th Force Support Squadron community readiness technician at Airman and Family Readiness Center, organizes opportunities for people looking to volunteer. Colburn gathered volunteer numbers for fiscal year 2015 and coordinated the volunteer appreciation ceremony. "The value of the volunteer hours means something," said Coburn. "We asked different organizations around the installation for the amount of hours volunteers accumulated and we came to an estimate of 63,733 hours." According to the state of Missouri, for every hour that a volunteer contributes, the state would receive $21.30. The check was written for $1,316,120.49, which symbolized the 63,733 hours volunteered by check was written for members of Team Whiteman. "When people volunteer, they should document the hours they worked and give it to their leadership," said Colburn. "Their sacrifice matters, and we want to recognize them for their dedication and willingness to improve the community and installation. It's a simple way to thank them for what they've done and encourage them to keep on doing it." The check as a reminder of the hard work and time members of Team Whiteman dedicated to community involvement. Colburn expressed her thoughts about the importance of volunteering and the impact it has. "Volunteering opens doors, provides opportunities and enhances relationships, which are priceless," said Colburn. "Volunteering can be used for enlisted performance reports and resumes, and gives people an opportunity to obtain a new skillset they've never had before. This, in return, can open doors If someone is looking to apply for a job that relates to their volunteer work." Colburn hopes that even more members of Team Whiteman will take advantage of opportunities to volunteer and voiced her gratitude toward the volunteers' hard work. "The volunteers did a great job last year and the result was impactful," said Colburn. "I look forward to seeing more people volunteer and the numbers for next year's check increase."