Patricia Doxsey is reporting in the Daily Freeman the number of Ulster County residents who volunteer exceeds both the state and national rates, according to a recent report by The Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives. In a survey using the same questions as a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics poll, the Center found that 66,000 county residents, or 45 percent of the population, indicated they volunteered at least once in the past year. That number was nearly double the state rate and almost 20 points higher than the national rate. The Center found women were more likely to volunteer than men; college-educated adults were more likely to volunteer than those without a college degree; adults with children are more likely to volunteer than childless adults; and the employed are more likely to volunteer than the unemployed. According to the report, the majority of volunteers in Ulster County gave their time to religious organizations or social and community service organizations, followed closely by educational, youth, sports, hobby, cultural, or arts organization. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.