Indiana's volunteer rate has increased steadily over the past three decades and now reaches even higher than the national rate.

According to National and Community Service, 31.5 percent of Indiana residents volunteered their time in 2006. The national rate for the same year was 26.7 percent. One of the biggest groups to donate time is the Baby Boomers. Of those, in the age range from 55 to 64, 32 percent volunteered in some endeavor.

According to the same government source, national figures show that boomers traditionally have had a poor reputation for volunteering and for their involvement in other forms of civic life. It surprises me that those who formed the basis for protests and demonstrations throughout the 1960s and early ‘70s apparently have become uninvolved. A turnaround came about at the beginning of the new millennium, and by 2005, the volunteer rate for boomers is 33.2 percent.

Boomer volunteering is highest among those who work part time. That certainly makes sense to me, as the more time we have, the more likely we are to share it.

Boomer women volunteer at a higher rate than their male counterparts, with around 36.9 percent of boomer women volunteering compared with 29.4 percent of boomer men. I was surprised to learn that nearly 70 percent of boomers have not graduated from college. And it's interesting that nationally, among all boomers with only a high school education, blacks and Hispanics volunteer at slightly higher rates than do whites.

There are many ways to help others and, at the same time, help yourself. One example is a program sponsored by the American Heart Association called the Start! Walking Day. It encourages all employers and their employees to take up walking and other healthy habits as part of their daily routine to live longer, stronger lives. The official start date is April 16. Talk to your employer about encouraging employees to get out of their chairs and walk for fitness. It's definitely a win-win situation. For information, visit the American Heart Association Web site at http://www.americanheart.org/, or call (317) 873-3640.

The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement offers information and the latest news about heart disease - the number one killer of women in America. Join the movement online at www.goredforwomen.org. What does this have to do with volunteerism? You'll be helping yourself by becoming more aware of the facts, and by spreading the word about heart disease in women, you might even save a life.

The opinions expressed solely are those of the writer. Jean Starr can be reached at jeanstarr@verizon.net.