There is an old saying about volunteer work that goes like this: “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

Today, many people volunteer their time and energy to help others. There are a lot of ways to meet other people’s needs. For example, some volunteers provide help after a disaster. Others are happy to get dirty while repairing homes or planting trees or flowers in poor neighborhoods. Young people see suffering and loneliness around them and find ways to help. And history lovers help archeologists (考古学家) search for ancient objects to help deepen knowledge of the past.

Volunteers also work in many areas around the world, including Hati. Years have passed since a 7.0 earthquake shook the nation. The exact number of people who died may never be known. Thousands of survivors of the Haitian earthquake lined in temporary (临时的) shelters for more than 3 years. Former American President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn joined five hundred volunteers in the town of Leogane to build houses.

Organizations do not have to be large to get volunteers. An activist group in Dharamsala, India is a good example. Jodie Underhill from England arrived in northern India several years ago. She planned to volunteer for an environmental project. She could almost not believe how much rubbish was ruining (摧毁) some of the area’s most beautiful sights. Ms Underhill learned about how to deal with the rubbish while taking part in other volunteer projects. Soon enough she formed her own group, Mountain Cleaners. Ms Underhill says the work is very hard. But she praises the group’s efforts as a wonderful experience. The young Englishwoman says the Indian media started calling her “Garbage Girl”. And she says she was pleased with the name.

American teenagers also volunteer in many ways.            

Traveling to a farm and spending several hours getting your hands dirty, it might sound like an unusual way to spend a vacation.

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an organization (组织) that helps travelers enjoy “volunteer vacations” on farms. The idea is simple. 【小题1】 In return, they can get free rooms and meals. The vacation can be a few days or a few weeks long. Volunteers do different work like cutting wood, feeding animals.

【小题2】 It lets travelers and farmers take part in a cultural and educational exchange (交流) when they spend time in nature.

At least, that’s what Sue Coppard had in mind when she started the organization. 【小题3】 However, she wanted to spend more time in the countryside. So she thought it might be a good idea to stay and work on a farm. Since she worried that she would be lonely, she asked others to join her. After a successful trial (试验), with 15 volunteers, more people started showing an interest in working on farms. Today, 【小题4】 You don’t need any farming experience—just your willingness (意愿) to learn!