Give a little time, raise a little money

Jack Russell
Westfield Chamber of Commerce President

Have you ever heard the saying, “Time is money?” Such an interesting expression, but it can mean different things to different people. I wanted to look at those words individually.

Time is an interesting word because it can mean different things depending on how you say it. You can use it as a noun which means a point of time as measured in hours and minutes. You can also use it as a verb in which case the meaning is plan, schedule, or arrange when (something) should happen or be done.

Another part of the sentence I wanted to look at is the word money. One of the definitions of money is the assets, property, and resources owned by someone or something.

No matter how you define time or money, one thing I learned over the last couple weeks is our local nonprofits here in Hamilton County work hard every day to support individuals in our community through time and money.

The Westfield Chamber of Commerce had the Share the Love Luncheon connecting the business community with local nonprofits in the area. It was amazing to me to hear the responses afterwards. Most of the people who came up to me said I had no idea about these issues and needs. The businesses and people attending also could not believe how much each nonprofit relied on one another. Every person after the event responded with… How do I get involved?

My answer was, “Time is money.”

Again, each of us have a different definition of that saying. My definition is simple; if people have time in their busy lives, find a way to give back. We learned at that luncheon that volunteers were needed in most organizations. Each of us treat time like money. It is valuable and it is an important part of how we take care of our family. It is an asset and resource that we own.

I challenge everyone to use their most valuable asset and give back. That being time. If you already do so share it! Share it on social media and let others know how they can join you. We are blessed to live in a place like Hamilton County and together we can give a voice to those who may not have one.

If the perception of Hamilton County is that the streets are paved in gold than let’s find a way to make that true in the lives of each person in Hamilton County.

I would be crazy not to say thank you to those who work for nonprofits each and every day. Passion is a contagious thing. I encourage everyone to go meet with a local nonprofit and talk to a board member or their executive director. I would bet after that conversation that you would be ready to help that day because of the passion they bring.

If you can remember one thing, remember this. Time is money.