On December 5, 2010, United Planet will join the chorus in singing the praises of volunteers everywhere in celebration of International Volunteer Day, designated by the United Nations in 1985 to recognize the immeasurable contribution volunteers make to communities throughout the world.

Here, then, my list of the big things that make life a pleasure, and a possibility – and which everyone should have… While all of us humans have so many of the things that make us lucky and happy – shared meals, family and friends, sunsets and animals – so few of us have the things that make life easier and more possible.

This year, we gathered the incoming crop of Long-term volunteers (they’ll head out in January 2011 for either 6 months or a year) for a weekend of training on a beautiful lake in New Hampshire. We had a great time getting to know them, and engaging in lots of fun activities.

United Planet Vice President Theresa Higgs had a wonderful time in Mongolia this month. She was traveling and training and making connections in the capitol and the countryside, along with Anindita Dutta Roy of iEARN.

This week we heard from Ben, who’s in Nepal on a Long-term Quest; and from Michelle, who just returned from a four-week Quest to Cambodia. Both have been working in orphanages and maintaining lively blogs. Great reading, touching stories.