Volunteer: community service or donations?

Volunteering used to be considered giving one's time and self to a worthy cause. Nowadays, more and more individuals open up their wallets rather than themselves. I am not criticizing those who donate to charitable causes such as cancer research, orphanages, etc, because I myself donate more often than not. When I took a year off between college and law school I had the money to donate to my favorite causes, so I chose to donate 15% of my salary to 3-4 of my choice causes. It can be easier to donate, and also very rewarding to be able to give money, especially when one has the means to do so. Sometimes we even feel that our money can go further than our own effort. 

That is not always the case, and neither as rewarding, in my opinion. Ask anyone who walked for Breast Cancer, played in a charity softball game for Leukemia, gave blood for the Red Cross, assisted at a soup kitchen, helped collect presents for a family during the holidays, and/or tutored underprivileged children. Maybe this list is a bit biased, cause I myself assisted and/or planned these charitable events, but each and every volunteer felt just as rewarded by the experience. Maybe that is why the community service committee at my law school has so many volunteers at its events. People enjoy the opportunity to actually take their eyes away from computers, their hands away from their paperwork and books, and step outside and get a little dirty. Time permitted, of course. 

I do agree that money is definitely crucial and most charities need the donations in order to commit to the service events for their cause. But before opening up just our bank accounts for our favorite charities, why not ask if they need a hand too? It may just be priceless (pun intended).