'Dare to Care', a campaign launched by The Royal Gazette yesterday, aims to inspire and encourage the public to get involved with community service.

The campaign is a way for every man, woman and child to lend a hand in improving the Island and could be as small as helping a neighbour with carrying their groceries or running errands.

As the campaign gradually builds momentum, this paper went into the streets of Hamilton to ask ordinary citizens if volunteering was important to them, and what they have done past or present to show others they care.

Eleven-year-old Dellwood Middle School student Kashanta Smith said: "Giving back is important because you actually learn different things and new things. I have helped my grandmother before and went to one of her sister's jobs who worked at Bermuda Society for the Blind and I helped out for community service. It was fun."

Her sister Kiantae Smith, 12, hadn't done much volunteering, but said: "I'm supposed to volunteer but I don't do it. I might want to start though because it seems nice and it's helping people. Also because you might get something in return."

According to photographer Graeme Outerbridge, 59: volunteering would benefit the community by bringing people closer. He said: "I volunteered in the past, coaching with Somerset Trojans, and have tried to get involved in the Parish Council in Southampton and am always trying to pass on information of what's going on in the community.

"That's one of the things Bermuda is losing is it's (sense of) community," he said, adding: "We need to get back to the basics."

Salon assistant Jermecca Lightbourne, 22, admits she isn't volunteering at the moment, but used to. She said it's important because: "You give a little and you get a lot and I think it's nice to give back."

Harry Nelmes, 32, a sales person at Music World, said: "It's always good to get out and help out. I always try and do the volunteer walks and stuff like that, I've done the (trash) clean up once and a while. You have to do something you can't just sit back and do nothing."

Aaron Brown, 34, agreed that volunteering was important. "For one it's what the community needs right now to get back to our roots. A lot of people don't have a positive upbringing, and it's good for the neighbourhood children."

When asked if he would be getting on board and lending a hand in the community, the I.T. technician said: "If I can find the time in my busy schedule I will definitely volunteer because I think it's a plus."

Sofia Ehrner, a visitor from Sweden, lived in Vancouver, Canada for two years and was amazed to see how important volunteering was out there.

She said: "It's a good way to get involved in your community, and seeing a different aspect of work being done. The whole aspect of walking in someone else's shoes is important to get out of your own selfish ways."

Peter Cozens, 62, a former reinsurance worker, believes it is easy for people to become complacent. He said: "Bermuda is no different from anywhere else in the world, there is no respect for older people, everyone looks out for number one, and the youngsters of today expect rewards without input on their side. I think it is a society that holds its hand out, but it's really not just here in Bermuda.

"Volunteering is absolutely important, this would be a good incentive to stop the ball rolling down the hill and get it going up the hill. Somebody has to do something about it, everyone seems so complacent."

Roberta Tucker, 52, is a regular volunteer with Centre on Philanthropy and admits she will be helping out with an upcoming Gibbons Company charity shopping night.

"It's important to volunteer because there are people that can't get out and get about, or there are just times when they are restricted to certain people, so it's good that someone else can do something about it."