Working as a pediatric dentist in Flower Mound, I feel connected to my city. It’s a great community full of friendly people. If we all got a bit more involved and gave a little more time back to the organizations and people around us, it could be even better.
Thinking about volunteering and giving time to charitable organizations made me think about New Year’s resolutions.
We’re all human. None of us are perfect. Each year we resolve to change our lives for the better, whether that means going to the gym more often, eating less sugar, or watching less television. Even with the best intentions, our New Year’s resolutions start falling by the wayside by the beginning of March.
We don’t need to beat ourselves up for it, we just need to keep trying to improve ourselves and our lives, even if we lose our way a little bit.
There’s one New Year’s resolution, though, that I don’t think we’ll have any problems keeping.
We can resolve to make Flower Mound an even better place.
Little Things Matter
Later on in this post, I’ll suggest some great organizations in Flower Mound and Denton County who could really benefit from your time and involvement.
First, though, let’s talk about the little things you can do around your own neighborhood. There are plenty of great charitable organizations you can work with in our community, but if that seems overwhelming to you, not to worry.
You can help make Flower Mound an even better place to live by simply helping your neighbors, friends, and family.
A few suggestions:
- Volunteer some extra time at your kids’ school, ask their teachers what they could use help with
- Donate school supplies
- If you have elderly or disabled neighbors, help them with their lawn care, help walk their pets, visit with them, or just bring them an occasional snack or a meal
- During the spring and summer, grow some fruits/vegetables and share them with others in your neighborhood
- Donate unwanted toys, clothes, kitchenware, appliances, books, movies, games, or anything else that might help someone live a happier life
- Collect jackets, socks, hats, and other items for less fortunate families
Even if you’re short on time, these efforts will go a long way toward helping others in our community live happier, fuller lives. What a great New Year’s resolution!
Help These Great Organizations
This year, you can also resolve to become involved with the bigger picture. Our community is full of people who do great work to help keep Flower Mound a great place to live. If you resolve to volunteer some of your time this year, we can make it an even better place.
Of course we’re just scratching the surface for volunteer opportunities in Flower Mound and Denton County, but this should give you a helpful starting point.
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Town of Flower Mound – The town of Flower Mound is great at organizing volunteers and matching them with the right opportunity. You can help with the library, Parks and Recreation, animal services, special events, the Citizen Emergency Response Team, and more. Volunteers must be 15 years of age, but you can choose your own schedule and time commitment. They’ll find a good fit for your skills and interests.
- Keep Flower Mound Beautiful – On the third Saturday of each month, Keep Flower Mound Beautiful leads a town-wide beautification project. They’re also more than willing to help you accomplish your own individual, group, or family projects. They do trash cleanup, home repair, gardening/landscaping, and general beautification. It’s a great way to spend time outside with friends and family, all the while making Flower Mound an even better place.
- Humane Tomorrow – If you love working with animals, Humane Tomorrow is the perfect volunteer opportunity for you. You can work hands-on with the animals at the Humane Society, or you can lend other skills, such as IT work and accounting. You can donate a few hours a month, or a few hours a day. They have new volunteer orientation every month, so you can get up to speed in no time.
- Denton County Habitat for Humanity – Do you like hard work? Do you like looking at a finished project and knowing you helped put it together? If so, Habitat for Humanity has what you’re looking for. You’ll meet other community members, learn what goes into making a home, and make a huge difference in Denton County as a whole. It’s fulfilling work, to say the least.
- Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen – Located in Denton, Our Daily Bread serves a full meal to the hungry and homeless every week day. A professional chef and community volunteers serve an average of 200 meals per day. When you volunteer, you can help with meal prep, local food pickups, program coordination, washing dishes, special events, and more.
- Volunteermatch – If you’re looking for additional opportunities, Volunteermatch is a good place to start. If you want to learn something new, apply current skills, or just spend time working hard to make Flower Mound a better place, you’re sure to find what you’re after on Volunteermatch.
Speaking not just as a pediatric dentist in Flower Mound, but as a community member, I strongly feel we can make an amazing town even better. In 2016, you can dedicate your New Year’s resolution to helping less fortunate people, helping animals, and helping to make Flower Mound an even brighter, friendlier, and nicer place to live.
Happy New Year. I know this is one resolution we can all come through on.
A Healthy Mouth is a Happy Mouth!
~Dr. Duffy
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