Unfortunately, it is far easier to find a site about aliens from the planet Zerp than it is to find a site about online volunteerism.  While there are several search engines that connect volunteers with local service opportunities, there are few sites that offer opportunities to volunteer exclusively online.  That is to say, there are few sites that offer service projects that can be completed and submitted online.

     This is where the Volunteer Corps comes into play.  The Volunteer Corps is dedicated to providing online service activities.  On the site, Volunteers can write and submit seasonal cards for the elderly, thank-you notes for veterans, and get-well cards for sick children. Volunteers can even write letters to their congressional representatives in support of animal rights legislation.

    Although anyone can join the Volunteer Corps, most members are children and young adults (6-18 years of age). The colorful, easily navigable web site is designed with kids specifically in mind.

     The Volunteer Corps is by no means a replacement for actual hands-on community service activities - nothing can replace working at a soup kitchen or reading for the blind. It is merely another resource for volunteers.  High school students in need of a few extra service hours can log on and help out. Busy adults can fit in a letter or two on their lunch hours. Even younger children who aren't old enough to volunteer on their own can make a contribution.

     Though the premise of the Volunteer Corps is simple, the letters generated through the site can really make a difference.  And in a generation reared on modems, megabytes, and microchips, an Internet volunteer site is both practical and well overdue.