“Just put in the hours” is not nearly as easy as you make it sound.
I am assuming that during those hours you did something that was useful and valuable to your community. This is a big deal.
For highly ranked universities such as Duke and Yale, your ECs will matter. The best EC is the EC that is right for you. If helping your community is right for you, then this is a great EC.
Also, if everyone is trying to compete with everyone, a modern society does not really work. We need cooperation. We need people who are helping each other. It looks like you are doing just that. I am confident that university admissions understands this.
Exactly. Your letters of reference will mention this.
Duke and Yale are reaches for pretty much everyone (not including students for whom they are just out of reach). You also need safeties.
However, do not worry about your ECs. Just keep doing what is right, make sure that you apply to safeties, keep your budget in mind, and this will work out one way or another.