As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, Bethel Woods relies on the generosity of volunteers who give their time, talent, and attention to our organization every year. We are so grateful for their contributions as they are a huge part of what makes our organization so special.
In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week, learn a little bit about some of our volunteers, their interpretation of Woodstock, and how you can get involved!
Meet Dan Hart, a recent retiree and second-year volunteer!
What keeps you inspired?
“What keeps me inspired on a day to day is just how joyful I am about life. It’s just a great way to live.”
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
“The best advice I’ve ever been given is kind of a tie. One would be to find the joy in everything, and I do my best at that, but more than that it’s Be There. If something’s going on, be there, be counted, do it, don’t watch it, don’t talk about it, Be There.”
What does Woodstock mean to you?
“It’s a moment in time, and it’s also timeless. It was a demarcation point in my youth: you either went or you wanted to be there. Everyone knew of it; it was certainly well advertised. I was one of those that wasn’t able to get there, so for me the experience of Woodstock was the movie, which I was able to experience without being rained on, without any offensive smells, with some nice popcorn and beverages countless numbers of times. I don’t remember how many times I watched it, but it was just the sense of other folks thinking and feeling as I did. Before that, that wasn’t known to me, so that’s what it meant to me, kind of a community.”
What do you think we can do to live with more peace in our lives?
“Recognize that we’re all just one big family. I’m feeling like I should give you a more full answer, but sometimes it’s really just that simple.”
