Kendra Jane Berndt
Managing Editor of Content & Archives

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill

In our last issue we looked at where the APP came from and the trends we have seen over the past 20 years. In this issue we continue to celebrate this milestone by honouring some of the piercers and their accompanying volunteer work that helped grow the APP and the body piercing industry in a responsible and educated manner to what it is today.

al·tru·ism ‘altroō,izәm/ noun noun: altruism
1. the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.
2. “some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism”
• Zoology
• behavior of an animal that benefits another at its own expense.

The idea of altruism or selflessness is the principle or practice of concern for the welfare of others. For many cultures it is the foundation for traditional viewpoints and it makes up core aspects of various religious traditions and secular worldviews. The concept of putting others before oneself has had a long history in philosophical and ethical thought, being the basis for more than one or two scientific debates. The term itself was originally coined in the 19th century by the sociologist and philosopher of science, Auguste Comte, and is often a major topic of debate for psychologists, evolutionary biologists, and ethologists.

Before I was a piercer I was a scientist. I studied animal biology, meaning I studied the ideas and concepts of altruism at great length. I was fascinated by the science behind the idea of giving. If we look at altruism in the context of biological organisms, it can be defined as an individual performing an action which is at a cost to themselves (e.g., pleasure and quality of life, time, probability of survival or reproduction), but benefits, either directly or indirectly, another third-party individual, without the expectation of reciprocity or compensation for that action. However, there have been many studies which have observed the effects of volunteerism (as a form of altruism) on happiness and health. These studies have consistently found a strong connection between volunteerism and a person’s well being and state of mind.

This means that when we give our time and our knowledge, we feel better and there is a good chance we are happier than if we didn’t volunteer. This will be my fifth Conference. I have been a volunteer since my first, both for Conference and the APP as a whole. These experiences have indeed made my life better! I was awarded the Al D. Scholarship in 2010 (we will talk more about Al D. further into this issue); it was here that I met an entire group of truly altruistic people. People that give freely of their time, their resources, and so much more to better the piercing industry as a whole. This once-ayear opportunity to give back is an amazing boost to my well being. It is a chance for me to recharge, so much so I now volunteer year round. However, it is incredibly important to point out that I am merely a single nut or cog, a tiny piece of a much bigger machine. There are just too many people to name that all work towards a common goal and the betterment of our entire industry. Without the hundreds of hours that are devoted each year the APP would only be a fraction of what it is today.

I count the days until our Conference begins and I am able to give back to a community that has given me so much. I can feel the anticipation building in not only myself but in my colleagues and I honestly feel the buzz this year is bigger than ever. So, I will take this moment before the chaos and craziness that is Conference sets in to say thank you! Thank you, to each and every one of the volunteers that help this organization, our Conference, and our industry.