本周是4月15日至21日全国志愿者周。去年约有6,400百万美国人在自己的社区中从事志愿服务。

上图为明尼阿波利斯（Minneapolis）的一个社区园圃。这样的园圃都是由志愿人员培育的，他们希望改善自己的社区并为保护环境尽一份力。

当然，他们也爱吃自己亲手在园圃里种的蔬果。

4月15日至21日全国志愿者周（National Volunteer Week）鼓励美国人民无偿奉献时间和精力，参与帮助自己的社区或有困难的个人的活动，并承诺将志愿服务纳入自己的日常生活。

社区园圃向救济贫困人口的食品站捐赠更多的西葫芦、土豆、洋葱及其他蔬果，使园艺劳动更有价值。

欧巴马总统在全国志愿者周公告中指出：“服务是一项强化我们国家的社会和经济结构的终身事业。”约有6,400万美国人从事志愿服务，在学校、无家可归者庇护所、医院、热线电话服务站、青少年活动场所、公园、园圃等很多地方帮忙。

另请浏览《美国电子期刊》： “志愿服务精神”。

It's National Volunteer Week April 15–21, 2012. Last year more than 64 million Americans did volunteer service in their communities.

Community gardens like this one in Minneapolis are maintained by volunteers who want to improve their neighborhoods and do something positive for the environment.

And of course they like to eat the fresh produce they grow in the gardens.

During National Volunteer Week, April 15–21, Americans are encouraged to volunteer their time and energy in projects to help their communities or individuals in need, and to pledge to make service a part of their daily lives.

Community gardens donate extra zucchini, potatoes, onions or other produce to food pantries for the poor, which makes the gardening all the more rewarding.

“Service is a lifelong pursuit that strengthens the civic and economic fabric of our Nation,” said President Obama in a National Volunteer Week proclamation. Roughly 64 million Americans volunteer to help schools and homeless shelters, hospitals and hotlines, youth groups, parks, gardens and many other places.

See the eJournal USA issue "The Spirit of Volunteerism."