St. Cloud Below State Average for Number of Community Volunteers [AUDIO]

ST. CLOUD - When it comes to commitment to volunteerism, Minnesota is definitely at the top of the national pile.

According to statistics from the governmental organization Volunteering in America, 37% of Minnesotans donated their time in 2010. That's roughly 1.5 million people, and it ranks us third in the nation.

However, these same statistics point to a lower amount of volunteers here in central Minnesota - around 30%.

Lisa Braun is the Director of the RSVP volunteer program at the Whitney Senior Center. She says there are few misconceptions surrounding becoming a volunteer.

Braun says RSVP works to pair adults 55 and older with volunteer opportunities to match their interests and skill sets. She says volunteer work can fit into the schedules of even the busiest people, and the dividends outweigh the time commitment.