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44 ja n ua r y/ f e b r ua r y 2 015 U n tac k e d on a larger scale, causes like land conservation directly impact competitive and casual riders alike: without open land, we have nowhere to enjoy our horses. "when i got involved in the equine land Conservation resource," winter explains, "it combined my interests in the horse community and conservation. is blending of two things was a remarkable opportunity." Do I want to… expand my horizons? sometimes you're just horsed-out, and that's oK. Venturing outside the equestrian bubble can be even more rewarding than pursuing opportunities inside it, so consider causes that may have no rela- tion to horses but do directly impact your community. looking for ways to share or teach something you may take for granted is a great place to start. winter has tutored adult literacy and says she found the experience of sharing her skill set with another member of her community incredibly fulfilling. e participants in such programs "are working towards something," she says, "and should feel that somebody cares about them." Take It Seriously whether you start off volunteering one hour a week or 10, honor- ing your commitment is the most important part. e unfamiliar stages near the beginning of any new volunteer arrangement will likely be the most uncomfortable or discouraging, but don't give up. "if you're going to do it, you don't have to do a lot," says win- ter. "But whatever you say you're going to do, be reliable. A vol- unteer needs to assume in their heart, 'is is my profession, and i am not getting paid for it, but i will treat it as seriously as a profession,' and become 100 percent reliable, just as if you were punching a time clock in a car factory." nancy hamill winter, of Stockton, Ill., is a devoted volunteer for a wide range of causes and organizations, including the U.S. Pony Clubs, therapeutic riding programs, volunteer emergency response, land conservation and adult literacy—to name just a few. A former upper-level eventer, she has served as president of the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and in 2013, she won the Land Trust Alliance's prestigious National Conservation Service Award. "Time is money" is a saying that's been bandied about for decades, but in our speed-of-light cul- ture, time often seems even more valuable than its cash counterpart. If you've tried but just can't make the time in your schedule to be a reliable volunteer, charitable giving is still a great way to give back. just be smart about when, why and where you give, and keep these facts from the national Center for Charitable Statistics in mind as you research: • 45 percent of annual donations in the united States go to religious organizations. • The holiday season is serious stuff. More than half of the nonprofits queried in a 2012 Guid- eStar survey said they rely on the traditional "season of giving" (october to December) for the majority of their annual contributions. • according to itemized* individual tax returns for 2011, utah has the highest charitable con- tributions. Its residents gave, on average, 4.8 percent of their income, or around $2,500. The least giving state? West Virginia, where residents gave on average 1.3 percent of their income, or $620. • It's not much of a surprise to find that the very rich are the most generous; those making over $10 million give the most, at 5.9 percent of their annual income. but the $45,000- $50,000 sector actually ranks second in charitable giving, contributing 4 percent. • Guess who gives the least? Statistics show it's the $200,000-$250,000 income bracket, averaging 2.4 percent. *Bear in mind, individuals making more than $100,000 a year are far more likely to itemize their tax returns than those in lower income brackets, so these figures "skew rich." When There Just Aren't Enough Hours In The Day coVEr storY

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