The full impact of nonprofit organizations in the Boothbay region is measured by those whose lives were changed or enriched by a nonprofit presence in their community.

Volunteers mobilized by nonprofits contribute immensely to the positive impacts in the region. These volunteers are often the unsung heroes whose time and effort directly improve people’s lives and the area in which they live.

The 26 Boothbay Region nonprofits participating in #BoothbayTreasures, a local movement of the global day of giving called #GivingTuesday, collectively mobilized more than 2,212 volunteers this year.

The Boothbay Region YMCA, alone, rallied 413 volunteers, who contributed 9,300 hours of personal time to coaching, leading programs, organizing special events, and contributing in other ways.

In 2013, the estimated worth of a volunteer’s time in the State of Maine was $20.10 per hour, according to the Independent Sector’s Value of Volunteer Time. At this rate, the Boothbay Region YMCA’s volunteers contributed $187,209 in time.

According to research conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), one in four Americans volunteer. In 2012, 64.5 million Americans served 7.9 billion hours — an estimated value of $175 billion.

Volunteers contribute to the richness of life in the Boothbay community. Without them, the Boothbay Region Community Resources Council’s Set-for-Success Back to School Program, which provides local students with all the supplies they need for the year, wouldn’t exist; the Boothbay Railway Village would not be able to put on fantastic events like Thomas the Tank Engine and the North Pole Express; and the Boothbay Region Land Trust would have difficulty maintaining its 30 miles of hiking trails available to community members.

Volunteers greatly enhance the well being of the community, but why do they do it? Volunteering gives people a chance to learn more about their interests and expand their hobbies. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens volunteers, for example, work in their plots alongside world-class horticulturalists to help maintain outstanding gardens. Such volunteer opportunities give people the opportunity to get outside and stay active at any age.

Volunteers at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor have opportunities for a variety of activities, from serving on the programming committee to maintaining its historic building. Whatever one’s pastime, there is a nonprofit in the Boothbay region that would benefit from you volunteering your time and expertise. A side benefit is that volunteering enhances one’s employment status. According to another study conducted by CNCS, volunteers in rural areas have a 55 percent higher chance of finding a job after being out of work than non-volunteers.

If you’re interested in getting involved in our community please visit the Boothbay Treasures Main Street page on the Boothbay Register’s website at www.boothbayregister.com/affiliate/boothbay-treasures/42834 to learn more about local opportunities and how to contact the organization of your choice.

And for those already involved, thank you for your time, effort and civic mindfulness. You help make the Boothbay region a wonderful place to live.