Jason Broomfield, 61, a St. Louis Metro Link security guard, had always been nervous about hospitals and needles. But when Jason began experiencing difficulty breathing and unbearable stomach pain, he was left with no choice. He headed to the Christian Hospital Emergency Department to get answers.

When a progressive eye disorder called keratoconus sent Lori Bell on a gradual path toward becoming legally blind, she and her husband, Don, made a pledge.

It’s an inclusive, low-pressure kind of thing. It’s a good vibes kind of thing. The people you work with are nice and friendly. It’s fun. I love what I do. You’re a volunteer, but you want to go, because you don’t want to let anyone down. It’s just fun.

Any kind of volunteering makes you feel good, because you are helping somebody out. It’s a lot different than handing money over, to spend your hours doing something.

Leonard Barasch once got some wise advice from a friend. When work slows down, volunteering should speed up.