It's the most basic gift one person can give another -- their time. But a recent survey shows New Yorkers do it less than anyone else in the country. In a two-part series, our Brian Dwyer takes a closer look at the numbers, why some people think we rank last and what people think about it.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, N.Y. -- She might very well be the face of giving back.

Mary Parry has been volunteering for the USO for nearly 70 years. Lately, most of that time has been spent with the USO on Fort Drum. So imagine her surprise when she heard New York State ranks dead last in the country when it comes to giving your time for others.

"How could you not enjoy volunteering in any way?" Perry asked. "It's a way of life."

But according to a report on Volunteering in America 2009, it's not in New York. The Empire State ranks 51st in the country, even behind the counted District of Columbia.

"I think it kind of makes people like me angry that we're in such a situation like that and that we're considered that way," Watertown Urban Mission Volunteer Coordinator Anita Ciulo said.

For New York's numbers, people in seven cities were polled, including Albany, Buffalo, Utica, Syracuse and New York City. Less than 19 percent of the state's people volunteered at any one time from 2006-2008. Compare that to number one, Utah, which saw more than 43 percent.

Some think it an upstate downstate issue, saying they always see volunteering in the North Country. Some say it's just the times we live in. Others say it's both.

"People are very busy," Ciulo added. "Who have busy lives with their children and their families and usually volunteering isn't something that would come natural for them."

But that doesn't mean all upstaters are going above and beyond either. Mary Parry may have spent her life helping out on Fort Drum, but the USO says finding civilian volunteers is a struggle.

"The gate can be intimidating but as long as you have a valid driver's license and proof of insurance, you're good to go," USO Fort Drum Director Karen Clark said. "I hope people will consider volunteering at the USO Fort Drum. It's actually easy."

And all this is simple compared to what it takes to volunteer at maybe one of the most critical departments out there.

Fire and emergency departments need volunteers every day to keep people safe. But it requires a huge amount of time, hours and effort before you can even start. Then you have to keep it up and keep it going.

"They not only have to do their training and keep up on their training and their drills at their fire stations etcetera, but a lot of them are asked to go work field days and bingos and that kind of stuff to raise money and support the organization as well," Jefferson County Fire & EMO Ex. Director Joe Plummer said.

The near 100 hours it takes to just get going in volunteer fire service is about 75 hours more than the average New Yorker spends volunteering a year.

For more information on the survey, visit www.volunteeringinamerica.gov.

On Tuesday, we will take closer look that those who do volunteer and we will explore just what's being done to get our state out of the rankings basement.