Maketing analysis of cheese pizza Essay Example for Free

Maketing analysis of cheese pizza Essay Cheese pizza is a consumer product that is bought to satisfy individual’s personal wants. It is a shopping product that requires comparison shopping because it is usually more expensive and found in fewer stores. It is not as popular as pizza box and pizza hut, but it is an relatively new product in the market and offers an alternative for customers with different wants. Cheese pizza is now at the growth stage. It is experiencing increasing rate of sales, entrance of competitors, market consolidation, initial healthy profits. It has been expanding to 14 branches within half a year. Its main strategy is to attract customers by setting relatively low prices , so most of its branches are near public housing estates . The target customers of cheese pizza are just ordinary people , whose affordability is similar to students. Though it focuses mainly on take out services , it lowers the dine in costs to 40% of its take out one. The operation of cheese pizza stores is simple and easy, there are detailed guidance for food-making procedures and the ingredients required, the only thing the staff need to do is to follow the instructions. After calculation , they think that it is more economical and safe to put sources on cooking utensils rather than on labors , so a pizza oven is equipped in each branch. It is easy to use the oven- there’s the raw pizza with toppings on left hand side, after 6 minutes, a well-cooked pizza will be ready on the right hand side. As a result, much costs are saved. Besides the pricing strategy mentioned above, cheese pizza also adapts other marketing mix strategies. For example, product strategy. It expands different types of tastes and toppings – from onion, pepper, pepperoni, ham, mushroom only to pineapple, beef, pork, chicken, bacon, tomato ,egg, jalapano and peach inclusive. It also has frequent product modification on the pizza quality. Second, distribution strategy. It has expanded the number of dealers- opening more and more branches. At the beginning , there are only several stores of cheese pizza, but now there are branches in Fanling, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai, Tai po , Shatin, Kwai Fong, Hung Hom, Tsuen Wan and Tung Chung etc. Cheese pizza also tries its best to establish long-term relationships with wholesalers and retailers. Lastly, promotion strategy. Cheese pizza is trying its best to stimulate selective demand. For instance , it softens the hardness of fried chicken by adding more oil . Up till now, cheese pizza has set up 16 branches, and is expanding rapidly with a speed of 2 new branches in a month. Such an achievement implies the high standard of the cheese pizza made. In fact, every piece of cheese pizza and its quality are strictly monitored , so as to make sure the pizza is solely cooked with high quality of raw materials. For example, the weight and size of a fired chicken is under strict control, as it will be over-fired if it is too small, and it will not be tasty if it is too large. They make sure every raw material used is of the highest quality , and they will not fry any chicken until an order is made. In the process of making the pizza, cheese pizza is the only one pizza restaurant that uses olive oil. The cost of using olive oil is high, but the pizza made from it smells good and will not be too oily, most of all , people will not get food stagnation after eating . Conclusion: In this project, we have been working intensively into Cheese Pizza and trying to find out ways that the company can increase its market shares. We have identified the company’s strengths and weakness. We have also showed the current positioning of Cheese Pizza and its competitors. Cheese Pizza’s current segmentation strategy as well as its importance were also analyzed. Finally, based on all the analysis, we recommended a new product for Cheese Pizza. It is hoped that Cheese Pizza will continue to take its advantage and make improvements from time to time, so as to increase more and more branches and to increase its market shares. References: http://blog. yahoo. com/_VI2LRCBUJLT5L6PNJKMLDAAW6Y/articles/29299 http://www. openrice. com/restaurant/reviews. htm? shopid=38341tc=sr1listpage=2 http://www. cheesepizza. hk/index. html.

Tension in the 1920s Essay Example for Free

Tension in the 1920s Essay During the 1920’s, the United States saw many large changes made in the country, the largest of which, the ratification of the 18th Amendment and the start of prohibition, was the greatest source of tension during that time period. The 18th Amendment which made the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal, upset many people, but was actually never enforced that strictly. Many people could still drink very easily and alcohol was never hard to find. Although many people think it was a terrible mistake and the government was taking away a simple way for adults to get together and have fun, the government gave them a good amount of time to prepare. As stated in an article by Mark Moore of the New York Times, â€Å"The amendment prohibited the commercial manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages; it did not prohibit use, nor production for ones own consumption. Moreover, the provisions did not take effect until a year after passage -plenty of time for people to stockpile supplies†. People could still produce alcohol for themselves which most already did and talks of prohibition had been going on for years with much support. The citizens of the United States should have taken that time to gather the alcohol they wanted and obtain the supplies needed to produce it. Once again, even though one could not sell alcohol or produce it, it was extremely easy to access, there were extremely large amounts of speakeasies in cities, people could go to Canada or Mexico, or just take a boat three miles out into the ocean where the government had no power. Although prohibition did not have much of an effect on the consumption of alcohol, the crime rates rose quite quickly and many saw organized crime begin in the country. Many gangs arose in large cities, but in only in Chicago could you find the most powerful gangster, Al Capone. He made millions off of the illegal consumption of alcohol, and although it caused a lot of chaos and disruption, he was giving the people what they wanted. As said by Capone himself, All I do is to supply a public demand †¦ somebody had to throw some liquor on that thirst. Why not me? †. The citizens of the United States yearned for alcohol and Capone gave them what they wanted, but they all suffered the consequences. With gangsters being as powerful as they were at the time, they could influence almost anyone, especially in law enforcement, the court system, and politics. The rate of homicides per 100,000 population was extremely large and the highest it had ever been. During the war, it was around six to seven, during prohibition it was around seven to ten. Although that may seem like a small number, more people were dying because of the want for alcohol. The 18th Amendment and beginning of prohibition dramatically altered the country in ways good and bad, which made it the greatest source of tension during the 1920’s.

Cash Flow Statements: Indirect Method

Cash Flow Statements: Indirect Method a) International Accounting Standard 7 (IAS 7) lays down the standards expected by companies when presenting information about changes in cash or cash equivalents. Under IAS 7, a company is required to present a statement of cash flow showing the changes in cash and cash equivalents from the three key areas of operating, investing and financing (Wheetman, 2006)[1]. The definition of cash and cash equivalents includes cash, as well as any other investments that are considered high liquidity and can be easily converted into a known amount of cash. When presenting cash flow statements, there are two main ways that are recognised by IAS 7: direct and indirect, although a preference is shown for the direct method. The direct method involves reporting the cash flow gross, as it happens, so that all cash out and all cash in are simply taken gross without any adjustments made for other factors. On the other hand, the indirect method shows the net cash flows once all other factors have been taken into account. It is not necessary for companies to use the direct method and due to the costly process of looking through all receipts and expenses, it is much more common for companies to use the indirect method (Schwartz, 1996)[2] . b) China World Limited (CWL), as is the case with many large companies, has opted to report its cash flow statements in an indirect way. The cash flow statement in the published accounts year ended 31st December 2007 reflects this choice fully; however, there is no discussion as to why the direct method was not used. During the preparation of the accounts, CWL has made several assumptions in order to produces the cash flow statements. For example, depreciation is accounted for during the cash flow statement, as it is not a true expense. When the profit figure, which is the starting point for the cash flow statements, is calculated, the depreciation is taken into account based on the depreciation policies being followed by the company. In the case of CWL, the property owned by the company is depreciated over 20 years, fixtures and fittings over a range of 5 to 10 years and motor vehicles over a period of 5 years. As these amounts are merely policy choices and are done on a straight line method, the actual amount allocated to depreciation has no immediate bearing on the actual cash flow statement and is, therefore, added back on to the ultimate net profit figure during the indirect method calculation. A similar approach is taken with amortisation of intangible assets where the initial costs of thes e assets are spread across the expected life span of the asset. This is not an actual cash movement and is, therefore, added back on to the final profit figure during the cash flow statement (Mills, 1991)[3]. Additional adjustments are then made to include cash based transactions such as interest receivable in an attempt to show a truly accurate picture of cash flow movement. Changes in inventory levels are assumed to reflect the amount of cash available, directly. This is not necessarily the case and it is merely an assumption that CWL has made for the benefit of the cash flow statement (Mills Yanamura, 1998)[4]. Other assumptions that have been made are likely to have an impact on the cash flow. For example, when calculating the net profits, there is an allowance made for bad debtors. This figure is purely an estimate based on previous experiences and the perceived risks associated with the various creditors that are related to the company at any time. In using the indirect method, these assumptions will still bear some relevance to the bottom line, meaning that a change of policy or assumption can have a direct impact on the way in which the cash flow statement looks (Barth, 2006)[5]. As CWL has international operations, it has to deal with the currency fluctuations that occur throughout the year. As the consolidated accounts are presented in pounds sterling, cash values in local currency need to be converted at the exchange rate between the country in which the transaction occurs and British sterling. CWL takes the approach of averaging the exchange rate over the period in which the transactions took place. This assumption is necessary as it simply is not possible to take an accurate exchange rate at the exact point in which a transaction is undertaken. However, it does have a potentially misleading impact on the cash flow statement. Appendix 1 contains a copy of CWL’s accounts as they would appear, had the direct cash flow approach been taken. c) The cash flow statement is merely one aspect of the financial analysis of the company’s financial status. Although cash flow and the liquidity of the company is vital in the overall health of the company, it is not the only measure of success. Firstly, let us consider the liquidity of the liquidity position of CWL. One of the most commonly used ratios is that of the liquidity ratio known as the current ratio. This shows the company’s ability to meet its current liabilities with its current assets. For true financial health, a company wishes to see a ratio that is as high as possible, and at an absolute minimum at least 1:1. In the case of CWL the ratio in 2007 was 1.905, which in itself is particularly healthy and is even healthier when it is compared with the previous year’s figure of 1.734. This increase in the current ratio is primarily due to better management of the money owed by creditors to the company. A further liquidity test is that of the acid test, which is similar in nature to the current ratio but shows a much starker picture as it looks at the ability of the company to meet its current liabilities purely by the use of cash or cash equivalents. In reality, this is a more realistic view of the company’s liquidity position as its main aim is to be able to pay any liabilities that are imminently due, without the need to cash in any other assets, even if they are considered current. In analysing the acid ratio, it is possible to see a different picture of CWL. Although the current ratio shows a particularly healthy liquidity position, it is clear that much of the current assets of CWL are tied up in inventories or in receivables (Chirinko Schaller, 1995) [6]. CWL should aim to manage receivables and inventories better in order to bring the quick ratio closer to the desirable 1:1 position. Although the figure of 0.508 falls considerably short of this ideal ratio, it is a v ast improvement on the 2006 figure of 0.383. As well as liquidity the profitability of the company should be considered. This is the view of how well the company is using its assets to produce a suitable rate of return. The main profitability ratio is that of gross profit margin. As CWL is a manufacturing based company, it is expected that the figure will be at the lower end of the scale; however, the figure of 35.95% is relatively healthy and shows a good rate of profit. Despite this, attention should be given to the cost of sales relative to revenues as they have dropped substantially since 2006 where the figure was 50.19%. This could be attributed to the acquisition of a new subsidiary. Therefore, it is anticipated that, in time, better use of the cost of sales will be made and the gross profit margin will recover to a figure closer to 50%. A final ratio of importance is that of the return on equity. As CWL relies heavily on the shareholders’ equity, it is of considerable importance whether or not the shareholders are receiving a good return on their investment. In its broadest terms, the return on equity ratio shows how much return the company is generating in return for every pound that is put into the company. As a general rule, the higher the return on equity ratio, the better the company is doing, although it should be noted that some companies that require little in the way of financial investment such as consulting firms will almost always have a better return on equity ratio than manufacturing firms such as CWL (Costales Szurovy, 1994)[7]. Once again, in studying the return of equity in relation to CWL, a downward trend between 2006 and 2007 can be seen. This is almost entirely due to the new acquisitions. Therefore, the direct investment in the consolidated company is considerably higher; yet, there has been insufficient time to allow this cash injection to be suitably used to generate increased returns. In a similar way to the gross profit margin, it would be expected that this figure would return to the 2006 figure rapidly and would in the long term be an improvement on the 2006 figures. It should be noted that when looking at these ratios the consolidated accounts have been used. There was a large acquisition made during the year within the group and this has had an impact on the ratios, during 2007. The overall health of the company in terms of liquidity and profitability is good and the slight apparent wobble in the figures will be reversed in the years to come due to the increasing investments being put into the ongoing expansion of the company. The calculations and details of the ratios referred to above are contained in Appendix 2. Appendix 1  Direct Cash Flow Cash flows from operating activities Cash receipts from customers 2,336,967 Cash paid to suppliers and employees (1,496,917) Cash generated from operations (sum) 840,050 Interest paid (8,615) Income taxes paid (52,188) Net cash flows from operating activities 779,247 Cash flows from investing activities Proceeds from the sale of equipment/assets (60,247) Interest received 3,336 Acquisition of subsidiaries (88,209) Net cash flows from investing activities (145,120) Cash flows from financing activities Issue of ordinary share capital 202,500 Costs of issue (13,750) Investment from minority interests 48,360 Interest paid (8,615) Proceeds from bank borrowings 138,172 Net cash flows from financing activities  366,667 Appendix 2 – Ratios Relating to CWL Ratio Calculation Figures Result Current ratio 2007 Current assets / current liabilities 2,284,972 / 1,199,264 1.905 Current ratio 2006 Current assets / current liabilities 1,187,951 / 684,896 1.734 Quick Ratio 2007 Current assets (cash equivalents) / Current liabilities 609,391 / 1,199,264 0.508 Quick Ratio 2006 Current assets (cash equivalents) / Current liabilities 262,080 / 684,896 0.383 Gross Profit Margin 2007 (Revenue Cost of sales) / Revenue (2,336,967 -1,496,917) / 2,336,967 35.95% Gross Profit Margin 2006 (Revenue Cost of sales) / Revenue (1,064,479 530,234) / 1,064,479 50.19% Return on Equity 2007 Net income / total equity 266,372 / 3,148,576 8.46% Return on Equity 2006 Net income / total equity 155,506 / 1,133,966 13.71% Bibliography Barth, Mary E., Including Estimates of the Future in Todays Financial Statements, Accounting Horizons, Vol. 20, 2006 Carslaw, Charles A., Mills, John R., Developing Ratios for Effective Cash Flow Statement Analysis, Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 172, 1991 Chirinko, Robert S., Schaller, Huntley, Why Does Liquidity Matter in Investment Equations? Journal of Money, Credit Banking, Vol. 27, 1995 Costales, S.B., Szurovy, Geza, The Guide to Understanding Financial Statements, McGraw-Hill Professional, 1994 Elliott, Barry, Elliott, Jamie, Financial Accounting, Reporting and Analysis: International Edition, Pearson Education, 2006 Mills, John R., Yamamura, Jeanne H., The Power of Cash Flow Ratios, Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 186, 1998 Schwartz, Donald, The Future of Financial Accounting: Universal Standards,  Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 181, 1996 Shim, Jae K., Siegel, Joel G., Financial Management, Barrons Educational Series, 2000 Weetman, Pauline, Financial Accounting: An Introduction, Pearson Education, 2006 Footnotes [1] Weetman, Pauline, Financial Accounting: An Introduction, Pearson Education, 2006 [2] Schwartz, Donald, The Future of Financial Accounting: Universal Standards, Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 181, 1996 [3] Carslaw, Charles A., Mills, John R., Developing Ratios for Effective Cash Flow Statement Analysis, Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 172, 1991 [4] Mills, John R., Yamamura, Jeanne H., The Power of Cash Flow Ratios, Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 186, 1998 [5] Barth, Mary E., Including Estimates of the Future in Todays Financial Statements, Accounting Horizons, Vol. 20, 2006 [6] Chirinko, Robert S., Schaller, Huntley, Why Does Liquidity Matter in Investment Equations? Journal of Money, Credit Banking, Vol. 27, 1995 [7] Costales, S.B., Szurovy, Geza, The Guide to Understanding Financial Statements, McGraw-Hill Professional, 1994

The Woman Who Fathered Me: A Caribbean Womans Role in the Family Essay

The Woman Who Fathered Me: A Caribbean Woman's Role in the Family Female children born into low income families in Jamaica and other islands of the Caribbean are burdened with a stereotype that their male counterparts will never know. When faced with the gender oppression their society has constantly been feeding, and the fact that so many women must act as the single financial heads of their families, many women of the Caribbean must settle for low paying occupations associated with 'female' or domestic labor. For women born into families at the bottom of the economic ladder, there is little hope of social mobility or escape from the fist of poverty. In most cases, the cycle continues to feed itself from mother to daughter. In my paper I will demonstrate this cycÀle by examining the Caribbean women's role in the family as head of the household and the education, employment and survival strategies characteristic to many of these women. I will conclude my paper by discussing some of the new organizations and movements that have surfaced in the C aribbean within the past thirty years that are fighting for women's empowerment. In his highly acclaimed novel In the Castle of My Skin, which he dedicates to his mother, in chapter three George Lamming eloquently describes what is actually a common scene among islands of the Caribbean: women gathered together in a common yard for the purpose of gossip. While it may seem to be an insignificant event, in a region where the responsibilities involved in raising a family fall mainly on women's shoulders, their bond with each other is essential. Miss Foster. My mother. Bob's mother. It seemed they were three pieces in a pattern which remained constant. Miss Foster had six children, th... .... 1998. 3. Ellis, Pat. Women of the Caribbean. New Jersey: Zeb Books Ltd., 1986. 4. Haniff, Nesha Z. Blaze a Fire. Toronto: Sister Vision, 1988. 5. Lamming, George. In the Castle of My Skin. USA: University of Michigan Press, 1991. 6. Massiah, Joycelin. omen as Heads of Households in the Caribbean: family structures and feminine status. Colchester: Unesco, 1983. 7. Senior, Olive. Working Miricles: Women's Lives in the English-speaking Caribbean. London: James Currey Ltd, 1991. 8. Shepherd, Verene. Engendering History: Caribbean Women in Historical Perspective. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995. 9. Walker, Susan."Rastafarian Women Speak Out"The Toronto Star 12 Aug. 1994: Pg. D12. 10. Yawney, Carole D. Moving with the dawtas of Rastafari: from myth to reality. pgs. 15--23; 33--55; and 65--73. (excerpts from Teresa Turner's New Society.)

Terrorism Essay: American Gestapo :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

American Gestapo A land that calls itself the "Beacon of Freedom and Democracy" has strange ways of demonstrating the accuracy of this claim. Tuesday its leader signed an executive order to the defense department that allows suspected terrorists to be tried by US military courts in US or abroad (provided the suspects are not US citizens). The orders are said to include people who have "aided or abetted" terrorists or those aiming to "to cause injury to the United States, its citizens, national security, foreign policy or economy." "It is not practicable..." it says, to apply "...the principles of law and the rules of evidence generally recognized..." The military tribunals will be allowed secret, closed hearings and can sentence suspects by a majority of two thirds of the judges (US officers of the armed forces). Same majority is needed to give the verdict of execution. No appeal is possible. First we have the interesting fact that even though the "Declaration of Independence", so hallowed by US of A, says that "all men are created equal" it seems very clear that to the present regime US citizens are "more" equal than non-citizens. Secondly, the notion that US arrogantly claims the right to set up military tribunals on foreign soil, secretly or not, to try foreign nationals, is an outrage to all democratically minded people around throughout world with more than the faintest notion of legality and justice. Thirdly the sweeping powers of the tribunals will be on a scale inviting the police fascist state to emerge without much to stop it. The Gestapo in Nazi Germany had those kinds of powers. There was no appeal to verdicts and decisions were made in secret by people there to "defend" the state against "terrorists" and other enemies. In combination with all the other anti-terrorist laws (and secret orders), that have been signed by the US president, its defense Secretary and Secretary of Justice, that discard like wasted stationery many amendments in the Bill of Rights (wiretapping, spying, searches, detention etc), this order adds to the undermining of the foundation of legality in a way that can be used by unscrupulous men to limit the freedoms of citizens in pursuing their own agenda. Gestapo didn't discriminate between nationals and non-nationals, btw. It is not unknown that certain states have decided, usually after meetings with some high-ranking military or politicians, to execute people considered to be a danger to the nation, the system or the regime. Terrorism Essay: American Gestapo :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics American Gestapo A land that calls itself the "Beacon of Freedom and Democracy" has strange ways of demonstrating the accuracy of this claim. Tuesday its leader signed an executive order to the defense department that allows suspected terrorists to be tried by US military courts in US or abroad (provided the suspects are not US citizens). The orders are said to include people who have "aided or abetted" terrorists or those aiming to "to cause injury to the United States, its citizens, national security, foreign policy or economy." "It is not practicable..." it says, to apply "...the principles of law and the rules of evidence generally recognized..." The military tribunals will be allowed secret, closed hearings and can sentence suspects by a majority of two thirds of the judges (US officers of the armed forces). Same majority is needed to give the verdict of execution. No appeal is possible. First we have the interesting fact that even though the "Declaration of Independence", so hallowed by US of A, says that "all men are created equal" it seems very clear that to the present regime US citizens are "more" equal than non-citizens. Secondly, the notion that US arrogantly claims the right to set up military tribunals on foreign soil, secretly or not, to try foreign nationals, is an outrage to all democratically minded people around throughout world with more than the faintest notion of legality and justice. Thirdly the sweeping powers of the tribunals will be on a scale inviting the police fascist state to emerge without much to stop it. The Gestapo in Nazi Germany had those kinds of powers. There was no appeal to verdicts and decisions were made in secret by people there to "defend" the state against "terrorists" and other enemies. In combination with all the other anti-terrorist laws (and secret orders), that have been signed by the US president, its defense Secretary and Secretary of Justice, that discard like wasted stationery many amendments in the Bill of Rights (wiretapping, spying, searches, detention etc), this order adds to the undermining of the foundation of legality in a way that can be used by unscrupulous men to limit the freedoms of citizens in pursuing their own agenda. Gestapo didn't discriminate between nationals and non-nationals, btw. It is not unknown that certain states have decided, usually after meetings with some high-ranking military or politicians, to execute people considered to be a danger to the nation, the system or the regime.

A World Without Mathematics :: essays research papers

According to teachers for as long as any can remember, one cannot survive in this world without mathematics, yet thousands in the United States alone cannot grasp mathematics, cannot learn mathematics because of â€Å"Dyscalculia† (also called Dyscalcula). Dyscalculia is a term meaning "specific learning disability in mathematics." People who suffer with a poor memory for all things mathematical have many other symptoms and characteristics. Taken as a whole, these coexisting conditions comprise what is termed as "the dyscalculia syndrome." Dyscalculia is an MLD (mathematics learning disability) that affects approximately ten percent of the US population, yet almost no one (shy of those diagnosed with the MLD) knows that it even exists. People who suffer from Dyscalculia have severe anxiety attacks, as well as short term memory loss associated with mathematics, numbers, rules, and retention. Other symptoms of Dyscalculia range from normal or accelerated language acquisition, poetic ability, good visual memory for the printed word, difficulty with the abstract concepts of time and direction, inability to keep track of time, and may be chronically late. The diagnosis of such a MLD is a simple test that ranges from a few hours to as long as a day. It is, however, difficult to recognize because it appears similar to math anxiety, lack of studying, and just simple mistakes. Doctors believe that there are thousands in the world who have Dyscalculia, but go undiagnosed. The test is also very expensive, costing too much for the average person or college student to pay for (ranging from five hundred dollars into the thousand or so range). As is typical in dyscalculia syndrome, students are usually gifted in most other academic areas. They may be in Honors classes, achieve excellent grades, and be tenacious learners. Math, however, confounds them, because it defies their learning history. They can read, understand, work the problems, but instead of remembering and mastering the material, it is mysteriously forgotten sometimes an hour later. To some, it seems like a lack of effort; to those with Dyscalculia it is a nightmare. The typical response to this phenomenon is to try harder. Thus, students apply all of the strategies used for success in other classes to the mathematics task. But success is temporary. The student willingly exerts extraordinary effort and invests unprecedented amounts of time, yet success eludes her. At this point, the student becomes frustrated by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But she is further aggravated by the fact that she cannot identify and define the obstacles to her achievement.

Persuasive speech on volunteer work Essay

Intro It seems like most people who are trying to persuade you to do volunteer work are always trying to get you at their one specific company or organization. They show you all the benefits of working there and everything you should get out of it, all the reasons why it’s the best place to go. I’m sure one reason after another goes in one ear and out the other, especially when you have to listen to so many of them. Well today I want to discuss why any volunteer work is important in itself and it’s not so much about where you go or what you do but rather that you go out there and do it. First I will start with the importance of volunteering and why you personally should get involved, then I will talk about why volunteering should be voluntary and at a place that interests you (that’s not something we are used to thinking about but an important point nonetheless), and last tell you about what I learned during my volunteer work and why the Riley Arena Ice Rink in Cody WY is one great option for getting out there and starting to volunteer. Body The Importance of Volunteering 1. How it helps the community and why it is needed a. We all live in a community and the condition of it affects who we are and what we do. If its run down or has high standards b. A simple act of kindness can change a whole persons day or even their life c. Volunteering provides needed labor that may otherwise not be provided i. WY is ranked 18th in the country for volunteer work with about 30 Percent of residents consistently volunteering. (www.VolunteeringinAmerica.gov) it’s a pretty good number but I think we can do better. ii. In 2012 a total of 14.8 Million hours of work was given by WY residents resulting in $327 Million dollars’ worth of service iii. The sad part- a big chunk of those people are all over the age of 55. We need young people do to this too! I’m sure your thinking well that’s because I don’t really get anything out of it, that’s why only old people do it†¦but that leads to my next point of how it helps you 2. How it helps you specifically a. Learn new skills that can come in handy in life i. According to www.worldvolunteerweb.org 73 percent of employers would rather hire a person with volunteer work than without. and 94 percent of employers think that volunteer work can add useful skills to the job. ii. 94 percent of employees who volunteer actively either got a raise in salary or promoted over the employees who don’t volunteer. If the raise came down to you and one other person b. Increased sense of self-worth i. People who volunteer actively are 63 percent more confident in themselves according to that same study. I don’t know about you but I sure could use a bit more confidence, especially up here. ii. It can give you a sense of belonging and of being needed. This is bigger for men than woman because a lot of times men want to be useful and seen as doing good for the benefit of others. It’s who we are and volunteering is a great way to accomplish that. c. Provides opportunity to meet new people i. Meeting new people could lead to contacts in the future and it’s always a good idea to know as many people as possible, whether its people you are working with or helping serve ii. You never know when having friends will come in handy iii. Can introduce you to people in completely different walk of life or environments and that could be life changing in itself. Why Volunteering Should Be Voluntary 1. We usually don’t think about what doing volunteer work really means. We tend to skip across a big point†¦that it’s our choice to do. 2. According to Google.com the word voluntary comes from the Latin word Voluntas which means â€Å"out of free will† a. If we are going to pick somewhere to volunteer at it should be somewhere that we want to work at. Make it something that’s important to you! This will help in multiple ways including i. Increased happiness when doing the work. No one wants to be bored all day with something they don’t believe is important. ii. The quality of work is improved which makes the place you are helping at even more thankful iii. Sense of self-worth is even higher because we are helping with something that we know is needed b. If you don’t volunteer with something you value  you will get bored and not enjoy doing the work thus resulting in less time spent doing the work. So what’s the point then? It’s all about our will and what we think is right. Riley Arena Ice Rink –now I get to tell you all about my work here and why it’s a great place to start a volunteering career at 1. Background of Riley Arena a. Ice Skating Rink in Cody WY that started in 1999 by Mr.Riley (according to the riley arena website that is) b. During warmer months it also holds banquets and other large gatherings which can be scheduled through their website c. Homes the Yellowstone Quake hockey team 2. Why it’s a good start a. The work wasn’t too hard, mostly just time consuming. We mopped the floor and bleachers a few times b. They were very flexible with the hours that we wanted to come in help and always seemed thankful for us to be there. c. It really does look great on a resume and will let people know you volunteered at a â€Å"cool† place (it is an ice rink after all) 3. How and why it fit me a. I found a lot of pride in volunteering here because I felt like it’s somewhere that doesn’t get a lot of attention but still needed people to help at, even if it was cleaning bathrooms. b. Although I wasn’t out saving the world, or the children, or the animals, or the elderly†¦I was still making a difference in people’s lives. Conclusion In the end that’s what really matters anyway right, helping people in need and being a blessing in someone’s life. Volunteering is about helping the community around you and at the same time helping yourself, whether that is advancing your career or just making yourself feel good. You should try to volunteer somewhere that you believe is important and that you can make a difference, otherwise it won’t be fun for anyone involved. If you’re looking for somewhere to start your volunteering life then you could try out the Riley Arena but more importantly than going there is that you just get out there. Take a little time out of your  busy schedule and make a difference in someone’s live, because you never know what you will get out in return.  Thank you! Works Cited http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org http://www.helpguide.org http://www.rileyarena.coma