I would like to share a story and a philosophy of giving that one of my mentors, Phil Smart Sr., has taught me.

"We all have the same 24 hours in each day, no more, no less. I have never met anyone, young or old, who has been blessed with 25 hours or cursed with the 23. No matter what our economic status may be, what language we speak or what part of the world we may live in, we all have the same amount of time each day. Most of us work eight hours and sleep eight hours, which leaves a third eight hours in each of our days. It is how we use this third eight that defines the quality of our lives. We have to ask ourselves: How are we choosing to spend that most precious commodity, our time?

"I was born and raised in Seattle, and I love this city dearly. I have seen it change dramatically over the years. Yet throughout these years, I have noticed that eight areas of pain remain constant within the streets of my beloved city. These eight areas of pain are: the hurting, the hungry, the homeless, the unemployed, the drugged, the young, the old and the illiterate.

"It has also become clear to me that these eight areas of pain exist in every other city, town and village in the world. In Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Cairo, Tokyo, Bethlehem and Moscow, we all share the same areas of pain and the same number of hours in each day.

"I have come to believe that the true measure of a life is not its duration, but its donation. You may believe that you cannot contribute a portion of your third eight hours. You may be saying to yourself, I don't have enough hours in the day!' Perhaps you believe your time is not your own.

"Some years ago, I chose to donate a piece of my third eight — just three hours a week — to the first area of pain, the hurting. In my case it was night school. The tuition was free — just a small investment of my time. My teachers were as abundant as they were diverse, from premature babies to young adults.

"The subjects I studied were lessons in life, death, courage, determination and victory. It was in this night school that I obtained my master's degree in faith, hope — and love.

"My experience as a ward volunteer at Children's Orthopedic Hospital and Regional Medical Center has reshaped my life entirely. Certainly, each of us has three hours a week and our own particular calling to the young or the old, the hungry or the illiterate. You might say to yourself: I don't do well with people who are hurting, and spending time with the elderly doesn't seem to fit either. What area of pain is calling you? Can you imagine yourself helping someone else learn to read?"

Needless to say I'm trying to spread this message of Phil's because our clubs need all the help we can get for our young people. We need volunteers, life coaches, teachers, mentors and caring adults to show our youth that there is love, hope and opportunity for them in our community.

What do you think might happen if each of us, all over Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura County, the United States and the world gave a small piece of our third eight — our time, our talents, our energy, our courage, our empathy, our determination — to one of those areas of pain?

What do you think would happen? Well, in a very short period of time, I think we just might change the world.

We are looking for volunteers who want to make a difference, individuals or groups that have a hobby or skill to share with young people 6 to 18 years of age. Perhaps you are an artist, or play a musical instrument, like to coach or officiate athletic teams, like to read, write, sew — the list is endless. What can you add?

You may be a volunteer with our organization if you are over the age of 18, can pass a background check and are able to relate to the needs and concerns of youths.

For more information on how you can become a volunteer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard or Port Hueneme, call our volunteer coordinator Tiffany Lopez at 815-4959, ext. 207, or e-mail her at tlopez@bgcop.org. See our Web site at www.positiveplace4kids.org.

For information on Boys and Girls Clubs in your area, go to BGCA.org.

To contact other Boys & Girls Clubs in the county:

n Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark, 529-1140, www.moorparkbgc.org.

n Boys & Girls Club of the Santa Clara Valley, 525-7910, www.sphs.net/bgc.

n Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley, 527-4437, www.bgcsimi.com.

n Boys & Girls Club of Ventura, 641-5585, www.bgclubventura.org.

n Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo, 482-8113, www.bgccam.org.

n Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo/Las Virgenes, 818-880-8577, www.bgcconejo.org.