Manpower vs. Problem Solving - is there room for both?

This past weekend, we talked a lot about being manpower versus getting to the root of a problem and trying to solve it.

I'm a member of the Lansing Jaycees, which also makes me part of the Michigan Jaycees, US Jaycees, and Junior Chamber International. In the United States, organizations have been struggling due to many changing factors in society. Manpower versus solving problems has been a topic of discussion as of late.

Tonight as a Jaycee, I helped prepare dinner for families that are staying at the Ronald McDonald House. We haven't done this project in some time, and I was happy we decided to do it again.

You see - as much as I totally understand and agree that we must work to "combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases" (UN Millennium Development Goal #6), the fact of the matter is, until we do that, there are going to be families that need to stay near the hospital their children are in. They need compassionate people to take some time out of their day to help them make it through the day, week, month or even years.

So, I think that some of the smaller projects we do contribute to the bigger picture, and we shouldn't stop doing them all. Sometimes, they can be the gateway to bigger things for new members looking to get involved.

On the flip side, that same UN Millennium Goal is something that I've been working on for a number of years. You see, science is NOT my strong suit. So, I wouldn't be able to do the research needed to find a cure for cancer. However, research cannot be done without money, and I CAN raise money! I've participated in Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society and have raised over $5,000 this year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team in Training. Both of these organizations provide research dollars to fight cancer.

I think we need to do both. Just funding research is not going to take care of a family that is struggling with medical bills for their daughter. Just providing meals at a soup kitchen will not eradicate poverty and hunger (UN Millennium Development Goal #1). Not only do we need to address the larger picture, but we also need to show compassion and help people in need along the way to finding the cure for cancer.

This is the latest LLS commercial that I happened to see last night (and many other times) on TV. It gets me every time and reminds me of why I do the things I do in the Jaycees and in life.