Volunteering Isn't All That It's Cracked Up To Be

I have volunteered in the any community that I have lived in since Doug and I first got married.  It didn't matter if I was working or how many children that we had, I always made sure that I volunteered because I thought it was the right thing to do.  Some years it was as little as ironing linens for the church and others it was a full-time commitment like filling in for the head librarian when he resigned his position unexpectedly.  As my children got older, most of my volunteering was spent at the schools that they attended.  It was a lot, but I enjoyed spending time with my children and getting to know their friends and teachers better. 

When we moved to Ocala last fall, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next.  Doug and I talked about me working, volunteering or joining a local organization. He did not care and told me not to rush into anything.  After a year of trying out different events, I finally decided to forgo working for now and volunteer once again.  Unfortunately, I haven't found it as fulfilling as I did in the past.  Yesterday, I spent a lot of time thinking about why that is.  I finally came up with a couple of reasons to my question.  

First, I have spent a lifetime volunteering and believe that I have always done a great job at my role.  I had a reputation of being competent and a hard worker.  No one knows me here, so I am not treated with the same amount of respect.  I do not like being dictated to or micromanaged.  I also do not have any children here, so my focus is different.  I am just wanting to socialize a couple of times a month and get to know other members of any group that I join.  I am not looking to find more ways to volunteer or to meet new best friends.  Lastly, I want a laid-back schedule now that Doug has changed jobs.  I never want to feel the intensity that we lived through the past two years.  I want my time to revolve around my family and to fill in with other activities on the side, not to make volunteering my main focus.  

Thus, I am stuck with a dilemma.  Do I quit the group that I joined or just beg off my volunteer commitment?  If I do quit, then what do I try next?  Do I stick it out and soft quit like Meg had explained to me a while ago?  Or do I try and make the group better by working intensely to fix what I perceive as a problem?  It will take some time for me to figure out my next move and thankfully, I don't have to make a decision today.