A lot of Edina High School students choose to volunteer, be it for fun, a community service letter, or just to help their community. Senior August Horstman spends a significant portion of his time volunteering, be that for a soccer tournament, a food shelf, or with Boy Scouts. Zephyrus sat down with him to learn a little more about his experiences.

Zephyrus: Where do you like to volunteer best?

August Horstman: My favorite place to volunteer is at the annual soccer tournament in Wadsworth, OH. I have volunteered roughly twenty-five hours every Labor Day for the last eight years. It has built me lasting relationships and allowed me to take on real responsibility in a fast-paced environment.

Zephyrus: Why do you like to volunteer?

A.H.: Volunteering provides something different to me then it does to most people. I like the feeling of helping others, but I really love volunteering for the social aspect. The kinds of people who are willing to take time out of their weeks to give to others are the kinds of people I want to meet and be around.

Zephyrus: What got you started volunteering?

A.H.: I didn’t realize what volunteering meant to me until I joined Boy Scouts. As a current Eagle Scout, I can say my scouting journey has led me to volunteer many times and I liked it so much I began volunteering outside of scouts.

Zephyrus: Do you see a direct impact or are you more behind the scenes, and what do you prefer?

A.H.: Honestly, I enjoy both the direct impact and behind-the-scenes volunteering. It just makes me happy to make others happy however I can do it.

Zephyrus: What is the best or worst part of volunteering?

A.H.: Sometimes volunteering can get high pressure depending on the situation. Some stress is good but it can sometimes force you to take five. When I am working in direct impact circumstances I dislike dealing with distressed or angry adults. It’s hard being eighteen and having to tell a guy twice your age he can’t park there. However, I have had a lot of fun volunteering from getting my own personal golf cart to having field paint fights late at night. It has just always been worthwhile putting up with the stress to enjoy myself.

Zephyrus: Do you have anything else you want to add?

A.H.: You may not know me very well because I just moved from Ohio, but I think we should change that.