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Volunteering is the unsung hero of nationhood. It provides valuable social glue, and it offers a window into worlds beyond the day to day.

Recently, I spent a morning with a bunch of other “volunteers” supporting Mal Law’s bid to run 50 mountain marathons in 50 days. Mal’s #high50challenge has struck plenty of obstacles. He trained for two years with single-minded determination, running every day for the first, and five or six days a week for the second. But somehow Mal’s body has not held up during the event as he’d hoped. Knee trouble is the latest setback. All the same, Mal gets up and exercises for about eight to ten hours every day.

In Dunedin, Mal ran the well-known “Three Peaks” route via Flagstaff, Swampy and Cargill, before trotting on to Signal Hill and some extra laps around the Caledonian athletics facility. I joined him for the 8am start at Logan Park, and peeled off at Flagstaff after an hour and three quarters on the hoof.

Sure, I’m not in race condition, but I’ve completed the New Zealand Ironman twice at Taupo, and I recognise a challenge when I see one. To attempt 50 marathons in 50 days is preposterous. The purpose of Mal’s mission is to raise funds and awareness for mental health. By the time you read this, he will probably have crossed the $400,000 mark. When was the last time you put on a pair of running shoes and raised that much for charity?

Truth is, every bit counts. Mal has a loyal and enthusiastic support crew who are all part of the success. So, too, are the runners who join him each day. They help with morale, and they spread the message. The energy generated among volunteers with a common cause is infectious. While the endorphins no doubt contributed, I am sure I wasn’t alone in spending the rest of the day on a high.

Why am I sharing this story? Politics usually hits the headlines when there’s a clash of opinions, a scandal or an injustice. But one of my favourite parts of the job is cheering on volunteers.

On campus, volunteerism is rife. In the past five years, groups like Generation Zero, P3 and Ignite Consulting have gone on journeys — from being preposterous ideas through to becoming realities with surprising reach. In each case, I’ve observed founders and followers with single-minded determination making the world a better place. Volunteers tell me they have also experienced windows into other worlds along the way. The opportunity to encounter life from different and positive roles has enriched their social networks and changed their life course.

Volunteering provides opportunities for the worthy causes it supports; protagonists are frequently enriched as well. It is a true win–win.