The first lap of the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life-Androscoggin, held recently at the track of Edward Little High School in Auburn, is always taken by cancer survivors. This year’s cohort included a 38-year survivor, a woman who is an inspiration for thousands for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is that she is 104-years-old. There are countless ways to get involved with charitable groups, efforts and events; to contribute time, effort, financial support, moral support. And such participation is always uplifting for those participating, and the organizations could not do the good work they do without such support.

The biggest single category of members in the 2010 Resource Guide of the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce – arguably the most dynamic business advocacy organization in the state – is “Non Profit Organizations,” nearly 100. And that list doesn’t include local hospitals, churches, colleges, libraries, YW or YMCA. Nor does it cover the full scope of all central Maine communities. The web site of the Great Falls Balloon Festival (along the banks of the Androscoggin, August 20-25) lists 33 small local “beneficiaries,” – school and faith-based groups, arts organizations, and such, who operate food booths (and most of which also are not part of the Chamber’s list). Charitable entities and Non-Government Organizations provide all sorts of social services; support for the arts, education, healthcare, community and civic affairs. While there are countless ways in which to “get involved,” the range of opportunities can be overwhelming: so much need, so little time.

The Maine Community Foundation (http://www.mainecf.org/) operates a kind of centralized clearinghouse for philanthropists and for volunteers, helping individuals sort through the maze of options. There are also several electronic databases enumerating and evaluating local options. While not exhaustive, one such database is called Charity Vault, at http://www.charity-charities.org/charities/ME.html. The various United Way organizations serving parts of central Maine can also link potential volunteers to specific opportunities, and can also help donors evaluate the merits of each of their individual beneficiaries, most of which also provide independent assessments of how efficiently they deliver the services to which they are committed.

There are lots of annual events which focus attention and energy to specific causes for a concentrated period of time. Some are of modest scale and attract people who might not be specifically interested in the beneficiary: food stands at the balloon festival, for example, or Smokey’s Greatest Shows carnival at Great Falls Plaza, annually in June (benefiting The Public Theatre, in Lewiston). Some are quite modest: car washes, dog walks, golf tournaments, ‘celebrity’ softball games, bake sales. The Coats for Kids effort by WCSH-TV every Christmas season helps prepare needy central Maine kids for the inevitable winter. Everyone has a drawer full of commemorative tee shirts, most of which include long lists of generous corporate sponsors; central Maine is justly celebrated for the philanthropic efforts of its business community, and much of the quality of life in these communities is directly attributable to their altruism, including everything from Little League to the arts and humanities.

Other events are massive: the Dempsey Challenge (http://www.dempseychallenge.org/) – scheduled for October 2-3, with preliminary activities starting a week earlier, will have as many as 4,000 participants in running/walking events, and another 3,500 cyclists. There will be at least hundreds of volunteers, as well, many working year-round. Last year’s inaugural effort raised over $1-million for the Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing, Central Maine Medical Center, and attracted worldwide media attention.

Since 1972, the headquarters of Maine Public Broadcasting, in Lewiston, has been home to the Great TV Auction every spring, a week-long live, on-air fund-raising effort that benefits MPBN, connects individuals with great deals for merchandise, travel and entertainment, and engages thousands of viewers, bidders and volunteers.

The range of opportunities for participation is indeed nearly limitless, ranging from hammer and nails (e.g., Habitat for Humanity) to grand scale efforts such as Catholic Charities of Maine, a major force in the process of the Somali assimilation into this community. For those with any surplus of time or energy – from minutes at a time to long-standing commitment – there are no excuses.