Joining and participating in a service club brings identifiable health benefits
A recent  speaker addressed our meeting with a fascinating story of how membership and participation in a community organization brings significant health benefits. Members are encouraged to pursue this subject with a view to using the points made to encourage recruitment of new members. It will also make you feel better to know that as a member you are not only helping others but helping yourself. First is a website put out by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.  On this site, are listed a number of facts about social capital and civic engagement which are taken from various academic studies.  The second and third "factoids" address some of the demonstrated health benefits of joining a service club.   http://www.hks.harvard.edu/saguaro/factoids.htm

The second is an article by New York Times columnist David Brooks that mentions the research demonstrating that joining a service or civic club can produce a gain in relative happiness equal to doubling one's income.  The original source of this study is contained in the book Blue Zones by Dan Buettner. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/opinion/30brooks.html

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