When I signed up for this class, I wasn’t aware of the community service requirement. I was a little surprised, but I think it was a good surprise…hopefully. This is a great opportunity for me because I have never really made an effort to do community service before. I have helped at a few functions through school groups and my grandparent’s church, but I never went to a local shelter or organization and donated my time. So this is a new experience for me. I’d like to think I’m becoming a better person for this, even if the service is required for a class.
I enjoy working at the Veteran’s Home. I have completed my first five hours of training. We watched some awesome training videos from circa 1991 and there were snacks. I met some very interesting people during our short training session. I have to say that the most memorable experience was visiting the Alzheimer’s wing of the Veteran’s Home. We were at the home late at night, and the Alzheimer’s patients usually stay up later in the evening. There were about ten patients in the lounge area. We introduced ourselves to the patients and then our volunteer director made an off-hand comment about her memory slipping. A lady then exclaimed, “Well your memory slips, and you’re normal, so I must be normal!” Our director then attempted to say hello to a sleeping man, and the same lady whispered off-handedly to us “She can’t wake him up – They poison the food here to keep us quiet.” I know that the Veteran’s Home staff does their best to make every resident happy and feel at home, but I can still understand this lady’s frustration. I would feel the same way if I were stuck in a nursing home, surrounded by people who treat me as if I can’t take care of myself, regardless of whether I actually can take care of myself. It would hurt your pride. I’m not sure if there’s a solution to this problem – it’s just an unfortunate byproduct of the situation.
Hi Karen!
ReplyDeleteI am glad your service is going well! I think you will love volunteering, especially when you find a place that’s well suited to what you love to do! I am currently doing lots of service for my community service requirement through my house’s philanthropy. We work to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s research hospital! I have met so many new friends through our philanthropy and the cause really gives me drive to continue doing the volunteer work and working hard academically. I am glad you are finding a volunteering home with such a worthy cause! Even though the elderly veterans and spouses that are there seem to be frustrated, just remember that you can be the joy in their day! I think you will really enjoy working with the veterans! I have worked with veterans previously and they honestly have the best stories and some have the best personalities and senses of humor! Good Luck!!
Shannon
To begin with, I think we were all very surprised with the community service requirement. I really wish that the counselor would have informed me of these requirements before I signed up for the class. I love doing community service, but as a college student with no car it is not necessarily easy to get these hours done for me. I am actually very concerned about these hours because I do not know if I have the ability or the means to get them all done. My schedule is so full every single day with homework, team meetings, and pledge duties that it is so hard for me to fit in time to get off campus, with no car, to get to the Veteran's Home. I like doing the hours and I think that they are a great idea, but I am not very ecstatic about them. I just wish that I had a car, and then it would be way easier.
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