Here are a full dozen "Voices from the Past" articles from e-Volunteerism: The Electronic Journal of the Volunteer Community , Volumes I to III (2000-2003), most written by co-publishing editor Susan J. Ellis. This section of the journal rediscovers lost volunteer history and preserves valuable writings from decades ago for a new audience. This collection offers a wide-ranging sample both of the historical impact of volunteers and individual pioneer volunteers, with stories about the roots of the March of Dimes, the Oxford English Dictionary, St. John ambulance, and the fight against tuberculosis. Also read about such key people as Harriet Naylor and Alec Dickson. The collection also has articles on the way the world's religions look at charity and volunteering, plus early publications and organizations in the profession of volunteer administration.

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From St. John Ambulance: 900 Years of Service:

When I conducted my first workshop in England in 1992, I vividly remember discussing the topic of organizational image. I asked participants how long their organizations had been operating in the community. When one response was "since the Crusades," I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore! Even by British standards, St. John Ambulance http://www.sja.org.uk/ has a remarkable history. Today it is a modern health care organization with members in over 40 countries worldwide. Its roots are in the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, confirmed in 1113. Over the centuries, through the involvement of clergy, medical practitioners, and legions of volunteers, St. John Ambulance has faced the challenge of balancing progress with tradition, the past and the future.

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