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That experience was just the beginning. The girls made pillows and other things for military veterans at a treatment center and adults with developmental problems. This past December, they made five hundred stuffed animals. Sarah stayed up all night on the night before Christmas to finish the job. "Stuffed Love" was sent with turkey dinners that a local restaurant was providing for poor people.

The Chicago White Sox baseball team honored the girls' efforts with an award for their volunteer work.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Every year, many people offer to find or document remains of lost societies and communities. These efforts take place across the world. For example, Forest Service experts and volunteers are working in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. They are looking for information about pre-historic and historic settlements of native Californians.

This kind of work interests Steven Ortiz of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Every other year, he leads an archeological dig in Israel. The dig is at Tel Gezer, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Professor Ortiz directs the activities at Tel Gezer with Samuel Wolff, an Israeli archeologist.

The experts, students and volunteers are hoping to learn more about the ancient city of Gezer. The city is linked to King Solomon, who appears in the holy writings of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Volunteers for the digs must be eighteen, although children may take part if they are with a parent. The youngest volunteer on the team is Steven Ortiz's ten-year-old son.

BOB DOUGHTY: The work takes time, patience and often, muscle strength. The ground may be hard and the sun may be hot. Why do people pay to volunteer to work? For some, he said the dig is a religious pilgrimage. But there are a number of other reasons.

STEVEN ORTIZ: "Some just value ancient history, and they want to be a part of unveiling it. I tend to think we attract people who think they want a cross-cultural experience. They want to do something meaningful ... a contribution to scholarship. They want to get their hands dirty. And they want to have a fun experience touring a foreign country."

Steven Ortiz said volunteering for the archeological dig provides all those things, and more.

STEVEN ORTIZ: "You are helping science. You are helping history.? But on the weekends, you get to have fun, and you get to travel the country and see sights you do not normally see."

And, he says, the archeology group becomes like a big family.

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FAITH LAPIDUS: This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Faith Lapidus with Bob Doughty. Our producer was Mario Ritter. Join us next week for another EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.