Every one I know has a busy life. Mothers are taking the kids to school and then they volunteer to help teachers or they go on field trips or they get involved in sports or theater — making or finding costumes, selling tickets or advertising the events.

Dads are involved, too. You see them at the fundraiser car washes or at the games helping with equipment. Kids are learning by watching how to be a good neighbor and how to volunteer.

In the community where I live, the retired folks — and I just mean retired from commuting to an office — have their fingers in everything too.

Have you heard about the call for musicians to join open mic jam sessions at the Greater Hansville Community Center? Or did you know about the showtunes lecture and program? Maybe that will be repeated if you missed the first one.

You may know these events are all planned and set up by those retired residents in Hansville. Those who stopped working —I mean going to an office — so they could enjoy this toiling with friends to put on recreational and fundraising events.

And, of course, you know about the annual dinner dance, swing into spring on Saturday, May 15, sponsored by the Hansville Ladies Aid. You can only imagine the behind-the-scenes work load this is, as well as the day-of prep work and serving.

That brings me to the Hansville Rummage Sale, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14 and 15.

There are so many volunteer hours spent on this fundraiser. Several people are available on those days when household goods are accepted for resale at the community center. Many more people who go pick up larger items, and then there’s the sorting and pricing crew.

On the day of the sale there are all those cashiers and the people roaming to help prospective buyers, the sellers of hot dogs and coffee and the tenders of the “holding pile” where people can drop items and go back and shop some more.

Did I forget to mention the parking lot crew that is present, too?

I’ve already told you that I think North Kitsap is the center of Volunteerville. If that is true, then Hansville just has to be the capital. There doesn’t seem to be any cause that is presented that volunteers don’t step up to the plate and get it done.

So, if you have a friend who lives in Hansville, better ask what their schedule is if you want to contact them, because they’ll probably be off working on a project, or having coffee at a planning meeting, or at an event serving food or taking money, or maybe just enjoying the program they helped bring to the community.

Yep, Hansville is certainly the capital of volunteering and a very happy place to be. Ask anyone that lives here — if you can catch them at home.

P.S. : If you live here and don’t know where to start volunteering, let me know. I can get you started.

Hansville columnist and volunteer Donna Lee Anderson can be reached at welltoldtales@aol.com.