I am an active participant in Special Olympic sports, ranging from, basketball to swimming. Currently, I am participating basketball season. I attend all basketball practices every tuesday night, that include helping athletes with drills and playing against them in scrimmages. During swimming, I work one one one with numerous athletes improving their strokes and acting as a self-motivator. I attend all the swim meets, helping athletes prepare and get arrange in their specific lane, help with timing and score reports, etc. Volunteering for Special Olympics, keeps me grounded and makes me feel that I can make a difference in the world. It is comforting to know that I have numerous friends that participate as athletes and have many kids looking up to me for help and guidance. In my case, volunteering is an experience that is life-changing and forever.
Today I participated in performing a mini Christmas dance show at a local nursing home in Lewisville.It was a new experience for me, volunteering by entertaining. It gave me such a good feeling inside to see all of the elderly people smiling so happily during our dances. After dancing for them all of the dancers passed out decorated candy canes to them and just conversed with all of them, thanking them for coming and just getting to meet them and hear their stories. Today really moved me; it's not often that we're given opportunities like this to voluntarily entertain elderly people who physically cannot get around much on their own to find entertainment.
My family and I have been volunteering once a month for the past two and a half years at a mosque that is in downtown Dallas. Every month, we prepare lunch for up to 150 people and we serve it to low-income and homeless people in the Dallas community. This is something that we have been participating in as a family and it has strengthened our sense of appreciation for each other and what we have been blessed with. The mosque also accepts donations of clothing and toiletry items that it passes out to the less fortunate people who frequent the area. I am really thankful to be a part of this endeavor.
Every week student council officers get to go to Austin Elementary and mentor a student. Formerly this program was under Big Brother Big Sister, a huge mentoring organization that matches volunteers to a kid in need of a mentor. Due to budget restraints we are no longer affiliated with Big Brother Big Sister, however our sponsor was able to work with the elementary school’s counselor and match us with a little kid! I truly enjoy the time I get to spend with the second grader I got matched with. At first I thought that only underprivileged kids were chosen, but I soon learned that all sorts of kids are in need of a mentor. For example some kids need help with school work, need help with their behavior, or just request a mentor. The little kids really light up as soon as they see all of us. We get to play games with them, help them with schoolwork, and just talk and listen to them. I never realized how much fun it would be, and I look forward to visiting my little every week! It really amazes me how genuinely excited they get when we come and visit them and how much I enjoy it. I never had a younger sibling so being a mentor means a lot to me. I have already decided that in college I want to continue mentoring, hopefully through Big Brother Big Sister, because it’s actually really fun and every kid could use someone to talk to!
My sister and I, as a part of our church, go every Sunday to an apartment complex and hold a weekly childrens class. In this childrens class, we help the misguided kids by teahing them various virtues and good manners. Also we play team building games with them so that their leadership and social skills improve. Our main activity, however, is doing service projects. Every week, my sister and I plan some type of service activity that we can do with the children so that we can teach them how to give back to society. Just last week we walked around the apartment complex with trash bags and picked up the enormous amounts of trash that was left outside. Not only did we have fun doing it, but afterwards the kids learned why it is important to keep this earth clean and green! Another activity was making bird feeders using a bagel, peanut butter, and bird food! This activity taught the children to help another important part of our society, the animals! Since there is no food for the birds during the winter time, my sister and I thought this would be a great service to perform. These activities not only better the society but also it betters the children. Week by week I see a huge improvement in the childrens' attitdues. I love volunteering at the apartment complex every week because it legitametley makes my day knowing that these kids' behaviours and futures are improving simply from doing these service projects. I feel like I am making a difference in not only their lives, but in the society as a whole!
Every week I volunteer at my gymnastics facility helping to teach a class of Down syndrome children. Down syndrome is a genetic condition in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of 46. It affects people in different ways and can be seen in different severities. Some people have it with very little signs and some show every symptom, such as heart problems, vision impairments, and slow learning. I volunteer to help teach this class every Tuesday from 3:50 to 4:25. There are four children from ages four to five. These children are in gymnastics class to help them develop their motor skills and coordination. Through this class, the children are able to interact with other children – some that also have Down syndrome and some that do not – and learn how to interact with other children. They learn how to climb up a ladder, run, jump from both feet at the same time, gallop, walk across a balance beam, hang on a bar, etcetera. In the time I have been helping teach the class, the children have learned to jump from both feet on a trampoline and many more skills. From this experience I learned that I have taken a lot of everyday tasks, such as jumping and running, which I do with ease for granted. At the same time, these children are some of the happiest and cheerful kids that I have ever known. They almost always are smiling and cheering for each other and excited to be in gymnastics every week.
On Thursday night at Town Center Elementary, an event called "Family Literacy Night" took place. I know a kindergarten teacher that teaches there personally so I volunteered to help her with her classroom station that night for 1.5 hours. I helped her make "reindeer food" for our classroom station as students from all grades at Town Center went from classroom to classroom participating in activities with their families. This experience was new for me because I was able to be around a large number of children and interacting with them. It was also a helpful experience because I was able to help the students and the teacher, while getting to experience something I might want to do in the future, teaching.
The biggest thing that I've been doing this Christmas season is helping with the Salvation Army's Angel Tree. Angel Tree is a ministry that collects gifts for thousands upon thousands of children and families in need. How it works is: you go to a local Angel Tree, for example in Grapevine or Northpark Mall, look for an "Angel" or child (or family) on the tree that you want to adopt, go buy the gifts, and then bring them back to any Angel Tree unwrapped. It is a really simple process and can mean the world to the children and families that you help. I volunteer with the Angel Tree every year, usually with the Interact Club, and this year I've volunteered with two different organizations: RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) and Interact. The day that I went to help with RYLA, we had over 400 Angels adopted. The day that I went to help with Interact (which was this past Saturday), we had almost 200 Angels adopted, and almost 900 gifts brought back with a monetary value of over $10,000. When I watch these people bring all of these gifts back to us and I help them label the gifts and put them in bags, it shows me how kind humans can be. There was this one couple who adopted an entire family to themselves, got a total of 10-12 gifts PER family member. And if that wasn't enough, they even brought extra gifts to give to Angels that weren't adopted. I was shocked at their generosity; they are PHENOMENAL. Another thing that I enjoy about volunteering with Angel Tree is getting to see the parents who bring their children to do Angel Tree. They show their kids the meaning of Angel Tree by letting their children choose to adopt kids around their own age. I like seeing this because that is what I used to do with my own family at my church. We would always pick a child to adopt that was around our age because it made it that much more personal. I remember one kid saying that he wanted one close to his age because that kid could be one of his friends. Angel Tree is just a great program that makes Christmas a special time of year for everyone who can't afford it.
Last year I became a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Every month I am required to spend at least two days hanging out and having fun with my “little sister.” So far, it has been a really good experience. The Big Brothers Big Sisters organization does so much to make sure the match is fun and meaningful. They provide free tickets to a variety of events ranging from sports to concerts to theme parks. I have gotten to go to the zoo and horseback riding all for free! But the best part of being a Big Sister is the time I get to spend with my little. Although it can be tiring to try and find a time that both of us can hang out, it’s definitely worth it in the end!
I am in many clubs this year like red cross, NHS, HOSA, Student Council, and especially this year i have taken a part of my time every month to at least do 2 hours of volunteering hour in the community. This week, I attended a NHS service hour to help the people in the trail run. I also went to a elementary fair and helping the vendors and students with anything they need in the fair their. I think that giving back to the community is good in any way and any form possible. NHS has really gotten me involved in the community services that are around coppell and has helped to meet and see some of the things that are going on aside from school.
About two months ago, some of the football players and i went to South Oak Cliff to help build a playground for the less fortunate kids who live in a homeless shelter. We all spent the whole day helping by putting all the heavy equipment together while some professional playground builders were screwing in all the bolts together. We all helped move the gravel and concrete to the playground after we mixed it together, so that the poles that were in the ground, don't move. It will make sure that nothing falls or breaks, while the kids are playing. It was a lot of fun, helping out some kids who don't have the money to or materials to build a playground. It was a lot of fun to see the smiles on the kids faces after we were done.
I do many things to give back to our community. I help the fire department with many activities such as, the Annual Christmas party at the recreation center, delivering presents to kids on Christmas morning, painting fire hydrants, and creating the float for the Christmas parade. I also have spent countless hours building parks and cleaning up trash in springtown, Texas (where i used to live). I also have an adopt-a-highway location off Sandy Lake which i have to keep clean every month. Along with all of these volunteer things i always pick an angel tree child, i do this so i know that on Christmas morning i at least made on kid happy even though there are thousands out there that won't get any presents. I also participated in the interact club here at the High School, this club is basically a place you can go to get as many volunteer hours as you want, they go to many places every week so there are plenty of opportunities. Along with all this volunteer work i'm constantly helping charities raise money, i work a station for the fire department when they do the annual "fill the boot" charity. I've raised thousands of dollars doing this and all of the money goes to the MDA foundation!
Ever since freshman year of high school, every Saturday, I've been volunteering at the Dallas Campus Korean school at St. Andrew's church in Farmers Branch from 9 to 12:30. I thought it would be a great way to give back to the community and to learn more about my culture. Although I no longer volunteer there because I have been busy with school, I feel like I've learned so much while volunteering. The first year I volunteered, I got to help the third graders and that was nice because I could actually help them learn and study Korean. The second year, I was put into the Kindergarten class which was so much fun, because I felt like I was babysitting and teaching them at the same time. Being at the Korean school made me realize how keeping and continuing to learn Korean is a very important thing, and it also made me learn to be responsible, because although I might have been dead tired on a Saturday morning, I still had to go every week. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer, because I don't think it was only the kids that learned, but I think I learned more than they did. I hope next year, I will have time to volunteer at the Korean school again..
Recently, I volunteered my time for two different organizations. First, I volunteered for First Step, a local charity organized by Coppell High School student William Kang, benefiting Crohn's Disease reasearch and awareness. I spent 4 hours organizing and overseeing a Dance Competition hosted by First Step.
Second, I volunteered for the first annual Deck The Trails 5K, which benefited the Wagon Wheel Nature Park. I volunteered a total of 3.5 hours monitoring station I, providing encouragement to runners, and cleaning up after the event.
Both volunteer oppurtunities were fun and rewarding, especially the First Step Dance Contest. It was cool to see all the breakdancers compete, and was generally an energetic environment!
On December 4th, I participated in a Christmas ballet performance at the Sterling House nursing home in Lewisville. We performed a series of dances for the residents in this home. After the performance we passed out candy canes to them and spoke with them. It was quite an experience to see them smiling and thanking us for coming. It was extremely rewarding to volunteer and dedicate our time to bring joy to their day and wish them a Merry Christmas. I could really see the gratitude they had for our performance and many asked us to come back soon. To be able to provide this joy to people who don't regularly access outside entertainment was a gift in itself, and all of the hours we spent learning choreography were paid off when seeing the residents' smiling faces and hearing them sing along to the music. I definitely want to come back and visit and be an ear to listen to their stories they are eager to share. It showed me that a little effort and time can bring true happiness that can cheer one's day up and build relationships.
I volunteer a lot at the Church of the Apostle's. Over the summer I helped one of the attendants of the church, who is also a teacher, run a classroom. The kids aged from pre-k to 3rd grade. I helped the kids learn how to count, to read, and to write. Also every day I helped teach a bible study. Another thing I do for my church is I take part in Vacation Bible Study. I watch a group of kids as they move from one station to the next learning all these things about Jesus and God. I sang songs and danced with them. Also some Sundays I will volunteer with my Aunt to run the Sunday School during church. It is a time that we teach the kids about the bible. I really find it amazing to watch these kids learn and grow, and I like knowing that I have helped teach them a lesson that they will use through the rest of their life. The kids are a real joy to be around. Usually I don't attend church, but I go to help out with these events. So volunteering helps me to learn all these new things too. Volunteering helped me not only get involved in the lives of all these children, but it really has taught me so much. These kids really have helped me grow up and appreciate more and more things.
At my church occasionally I volunteer at a fish fry. Families come in to eat dinner and we serve them. They fill out sheets and we have to stand in line and pick up everything that they want on their plates. After they are done we clean up everything and wait on the next person to sit down. It is actually a very fun way to spend a Friday night. My friends and I would have contests to see who could serve the most plates or drinks and who could clean the most tables. I greatly enjoy doing it and it makes me happy to see someone smile from eating eating a good meal. We also get super awesome t-shirts.
I'm in Senior Leadership Corps this year and I volunteer with Lost Paws Rescue of Texas and Saturday December 10 I volunteered for the adoption event. I spent 5 hours helping with Lost Paws taking care of the dogs, playing with them and talking with customers trying to find them homes. I give back by caring for dogs who have been abused, been in puppy mills and abadonded. They need someone to care for them and break them into loving a human again and I help by playing and petting them. Most of them are from puppy mills so they aren't socially aclimated and fear humans touch so by bringing them out of the cages they get freedom and experience love from a human. It's really rewarding to make the new dogs feel comfortable and help them socialize.
I volunteered last Saturday at the Metrocrest Thrift Store, a thrift store aimed at helping the needy by providing cheap clothes and furniture. I carried heavy furniture to and from vehicles, and it taught me a lot about how little some people have, and it made me feel very blessed. I even brought some old clothes of my own to contribute to the store. I've been to the thrift store before, so I kind of knew my way around, but every time I go it helps remind me that others struggle to pay for clothes or furniture, while I'm worried about Skyrim and FIFA. It just brings things into perspective.
I volunteer at Petsmart and help out with Lost Paws of Texas. It's a organization which involves helping out with rescue pets and helping with the adoptions. All of the volunteers are required to walk the dogs and talk to some of the people who are looking at the dogs and give some information on the dogs. The main reason I ever began volunteering with Lost Paws is because I love animals and talking to people. I love to connect with animals and make them feel loved so this organization fits me. It takes place 3 saturdays a month and I would recommend anyone who loves animals to volunteer there.
I volunteer at San Remo Rehabilitation Center in Richardson. I work with the activities coodinator and I help the residents get to the activities. I help set up activities and help the residents with crafts and games. I love spending time with the residents and I know they love having me there. I was asked by one of the residents to sing for them, once. She enjoyed that so much. Many of the residents don't understand why I spend time there, because I don't get cradit for it and I don't get paid. Honestly, I love being there and I love spending time with the residents.
I have recently volunteered at the Metrocrest Thrift Store in Dallas, they basically provide necessary clothing, furniture, and other household needs for relatively cheap. At the thrift store we usually move new incoming furniture from the back or rearrange and fold clothing items. The organization does a lot of good for the community and makes me happy that I can help out. It also makes me feel extremely lucky that I don't have to worry about the clothes on my back or the bed that I sleep in.
I have been volunteering for many years with my church youth group, but within this past year I have started volunteering on my own at Christian Works for Children. This is a nonprofit organization that works with placing children for adoption, counseling those who have parents that are going through a divorce, and working with children in the grieving process of a loved one. The work that I normally do there is with the Greif Works program, I help organize closets, and organize each little’s, middles, and teens bucket for their counseling session. Although I am not able to be apart in helping in the counseling sessions with the children, I am there at the start serving dinners to the families. I have really enjoyed my work there I feel like the saying “a little goes a long way” is true. These children each have a different story to tell and even through their pain they still show thankfulness for a start to a new day. Volunteering at Christian Works has become a big part of my life, I grew up going to the office with my mom when I was younger while, she worked and now that I am older I see what great work they are doing for the lives of so many, and I am thankful to give back to such a wonderful organization. I am looking forward to this summer to help at their grieve camp called Camp Erin.
I am currently enrolled in the Health Science and Technology II class for Pharmacy Technicians. Mr. Pool is the teacher for the class and he also runs the food pantry of the high school. All donated cans and food items are collected into his classroom. Usually, he does not have a lot of items to store, but this semester the National Honor Society had a can drive and donated over hundreds of cans to the pantry. Mr. Pool didn't have any space to store all the cans and food items. He only had 3 shelves with 5 sections each and could only hold barely 200 cans. So, I took the initiative to reorganize the shelves to make use of the space available. I sorted the cans by what they contained so it would be easier on the families who are coming in to pick up some cans. It's like a mini grocery store now. I really enjoy helping Mr. Pool and the food pantry and now he can help more families in the high school and families from middle and elementary schools as well.
Every summer, our church has a mission trip that the youth go on. This year, we went to Daytona Beach, Florida, and while we did go to the beach a few times, one of my favorite things that we did was singing at various places. One afternoon we went to the Boys and Girls Club there, and we spent about an hour playing with these sweet kids who have had some pretty rough events in their pasts. We also sang several songs, and it was really cool to see their faces light up, especially when one of the girls sang her solo, and they were all just so into the concert. I'm glad that we were able to bring some joy into their lives for a few hours. It was really hard for us to see some of the things that were going on in their lives, though - one little girl, maybe 6 years old, had several cigarette burns on her arms from her mother's boyfriend. These kids just had horrible home situations. I had a lot of fun playing with several of the kids, and as we were leaving, one of the little boys gave several of the girls little dandelions that he had picked. It was just so sweet to see how much love these kids have even though they don't receive a lot of it at home.
Every Wednesday I volunteer at my church teaching a class called “Kids in Mission”. I help teach children from 1st to 5th grade about serving God. It is a great way to teach them that as christians we help our friends, families, church family, community, and people all over the world. Each week we do a mission project to help an organization in need. Last Wednesday we helped an organization called Operation Christmas Child. Everyone brought in a lot of toys and necessities. We took shoe boxes and filled them with things like deodorant, wash cloths, scarves, gloves, hats, toys, stickers, and candy. We wrapped the boxes and sent them to the organization who will then send the boxes out all over the world to children living in poverty. I love volunteering and completing the different projects every week. It is a great way to help those in need and also a great way to teach children about helping the needy and serving God.
Two months ago several football players and myself included went to south oak cliff to help build a playground as part of a church movement towards helping the community. We spent about 10 hours there total because of all the things that were involved in assembling the playground. We mixed cement and were assigned to build a certain section of the playground while actual workers came in and put all the pieces together. It felt good though in the end to help build the playground for the kids because now they have somewhere to go after school and not hang around in the streets.
I am an active participant in Special Olympic sports, ranging from, basketball to swimming. Currently, I am participating basketball season. I attend all basketball practices every tuesday night, that include helping athletes with drills and playing against them in scrimmages. During swimming, I work one one one with numerous athletes improving their strokes and acting as a self-motivator. I attend all the swim meets, helping athletes prepare and get arrange in their specific lane, help with timing and score reports, etc. Volunteering for Special Olympics, keeps me grounded and makes me feel that I can make a difference in the world. It is comforting to know that I have numerous friends that participate as athletes and have many kids looking up to me for help and guidance. In my case, volunteering is an experience that is life-changing and forever.
ReplyDeleteToday I participated in performing a mini Christmas dance show at a local nursing home in Lewisville.It was a new experience for me, volunteering by entertaining. It gave me such a good feeling inside to see all of the elderly people smiling so happily during our dances. After dancing for them all of the dancers passed out decorated candy canes to them and just conversed with all of them, thanking them for coming and just getting to meet them and hear their stories. Today really moved me; it's not often that we're given opportunities like this to voluntarily entertain elderly people who physically cannot get around much on their own to find entertainment.
ReplyDeleteMy family and I have been volunteering once a month for the past two and a half years at a mosque that is in downtown Dallas. Every month, we prepare lunch for up to 150 people and we serve it to low-income and homeless people in the Dallas community. This is something that we have been participating in as a family and it has strengthened our sense of appreciation for each other and what we have been blessed with. The mosque also accepts donations of clothing and toiletry items that it passes out to the less fortunate people who frequent the area. I am really thankful to be a part of this endeavor.
ReplyDeleteEvery week student council officers get to go to Austin Elementary and mentor a student. Formerly this program was under Big Brother Big Sister, a huge mentoring organization that matches volunteers to a kid in need of a mentor. Due to budget restraints we are no longer affiliated with Big Brother Big Sister, however our sponsor was able to work with the elementary school’s counselor and match us with a little kid! I truly enjoy the time I get to spend with the second grader I got matched with. At first I thought that only underprivileged kids were chosen, but I soon learned that all sorts of kids are in need of a mentor. For example some kids need help with school work, need help with their behavior, or just request a mentor. The little kids really light up as soon as they see all of us. We get to play games with them, help them with schoolwork, and just talk and listen to them. I never realized how much fun it would be, and I look forward to visiting my little every week! It really amazes me how genuinely excited they get when we come and visit them and how much I enjoy it. I never had a younger sibling so being a mentor means a lot to me. I have already decided that in college I want to continue mentoring, hopefully through Big Brother Big Sister, because it’s actually really fun and every kid could use someone to talk to!
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I, as a part of our church, go every Sunday to an apartment complex and hold a weekly childrens class. In this childrens class, we help the misguided kids by teahing them various virtues and good manners. Also we play team building games with them so that their leadership and social skills improve. Our main activity, however, is doing service projects. Every week, my sister and I plan some type of service activity that we can do with the children so that we can teach them how to give back to society. Just last week we walked around the apartment complex with trash bags and picked up the enormous amounts of trash that was left outside. Not only did we have fun doing it, but afterwards the kids learned why it is important to keep this earth clean and green! Another activity was making bird feeders using a bagel, peanut butter, and bird food! This activity taught the children to help another important part of our society, the animals! Since there is no food for the birds during the winter time, my sister and I thought this would be a great service to perform. These activities not only better the society but also it betters the children. Week by week I see a huge improvement in the childrens' attitdues. I love volunteering at the apartment complex every week because it legitametley makes my day knowing that these kids' behaviours and futures are improving simply from doing these service projects. I feel like I am making a difference in not only their lives, but in the society as a whole!
ReplyDeleteEvery week I volunteer at my gymnastics facility helping to teach a class of Down syndrome children. Down syndrome is a genetic condition in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of 46. It affects people in different ways and can be seen in different severities. Some people have it with very little signs and some show every symptom, such as heart problems, vision impairments, and slow learning. I volunteer to help teach this class every Tuesday from 3:50 to 4:25. There are four children from ages four to five. These children are in gymnastics class to help them develop their motor skills and coordination. Through this class, the children are able to interact with other children – some that also have Down syndrome and some that do not – and learn how to interact with other children. They learn how to climb up a ladder, run, jump from both feet at the same time, gallop, walk across a balance beam, hang on a bar, etcetera. In the time I have been helping teach the class, the children have learned to jump from both feet on a trampoline and many more skills. From this experience I learned that I have taken a lot of everyday tasks, such as jumping and running, which I do with ease for granted. At the same time, these children are some of the happiest and cheerful kids that I have ever known. They almost always are smiling and cheering for each other and excited to be in gymnastics every week.
ReplyDeleteOn Thursday night at Town Center Elementary, an event called "Family Literacy Night" took place. I know a kindergarten teacher that teaches there personally so I volunteered to help her with her classroom station that night for 1.5 hours. I helped her make "reindeer food" for our classroom station as students from all grades at Town Center went from classroom to classroom participating in activities with their families. This experience was new for me because I was able to be around a large number of children and interacting with them. It was also a helpful experience because I was able to help the students and the teacher, while getting to experience something I might want to do in the future, teaching.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest thing that I've been doing this Christmas season is helping with the Salvation Army's Angel Tree. Angel Tree is a ministry that collects gifts for thousands upon thousands of children and families in need. How it works is: you go to a local Angel Tree, for example in Grapevine or Northpark Mall, look for an "Angel" or child (or family) on the tree that you want to adopt, go buy the gifts, and then bring them back to any Angel Tree unwrapped. It is a really simple process and can mean the world to the children and families that you help. I volunteer with the Angel Tree every year, usually with the Interact Club, and this year I've volunteered with two different organizations: RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) and Interact. The day that I went to help with RYLA, we had over 400 Angels adopted. The day that I went to help with Interact (which was this past Saturday), we had almost 200 Angels adopted, and almost 900 gifts brought back with a monetary value of over $10,000. When I watch these people bring all of these gifts back to us and I help them label the gifts and put them in bags, it shows me how kind humans can be. There was this one couple who adopted an entire family to themselves, got a total of 10-12 gifts PER family member. And if that wasn't enough, they even brought extra gifts to give to Angels that weren't adopted. I was shocked at their generosity; they are PHENOMENAL. Another thing that I enjoy about volunteering with Angel Tree is getting to see the parents who bring their children to do Angel Tree. They show their kids the meaning of Angel Tree by letting their children choose to adopt kids around their own age. I like seeing this because that is what I used to do with my own family at my church. We would always pick a child to adopt that was around our age because it made it that much more personal. I remember one kid saying that he wanted one close to his age because that kid could be one of his friends. Angel Tree is just a great program that makes Christmas a special time of year for everyone who can't afford it.
ReplyDeleteLast year I became a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Every month I am required to spend at least two days hanging out and having fun with my “little sister.” So far, it has been a really good experience. The Big Brothers Big Sisters organization does so much to make sure the match is fun and meaningful. They provide free tickets to a variety of events ranging from sports to concerts to theme parks. I have gotten to go to the zoo and horseback riding all for free! But the best part of being a Big Sister is the time I get to spend with my little. Although it can be tiring to try and find a time that both of us can hang out, it’s definitely worth it in the end!
ReplyDeleteI am in many clubs this year like red cross, NHS, HOSA, Student Council, and especially this year i have taken a part of my time every month to at least do 2 hours of volunteering hour in the community. This week, I attended a NHS service hour to help the people in the trail run. I also went to a elementary fair and helping the vendors and students with anything they need in the fair their. I think that giving back to the community is good in any way and any form possible. NHS has really gotten me involved in the community services that are around coppell and has helped to meet and see some of the things that are going on aside from school.
ReplyDeleteAbout two months ago, some of the football players and i went to South Oak Cliff to help build a playground for the less fortunate kids who live in a homeless shelter. We all spent the whole day helping by putting all the heavy equipment together while some professional playground builders were screwing in all the bolts together. We all helped move the gravel and concrete to the playground after we mixed it together, so that the poles that were in the ground, don't move. It will make sure that nothing falls or breaks, while the kids are playing. It was a lot of fun, helping out some kids who don't have the money to or materials to build a playground. It was a lot of fun to see the smiles on the kids faces after we were done.
ReplyDeleteI do many things to give back to our community. I help the fire department with many activities such as, the Annual Christmas party at the recreation center, delivering presents to kids on Christmas morning, painting fire hydrants, and creating the float for the Christmas parade. I also have spent countless hours building parks and cleaning up trash in springtown, Texas (where i used to live). I also have an adopt-a-highway location off Sandy Lake which i have to keep clean every month. Along with all of these volunteer things i always pick an angel tree child, i do this so i know that on Christmas morning i at least made on kid happy even though there are thousands out there that won't get any presents. I also participated in the interact club here at the High School, this club is basically a place you can go to get as many volunteer hours as you want, they go to many places every week so there are plenty of opportunities. Along with all this volunteer work i'm constantly helping charities raise money, i work a station for the fire department when they do the annual "fill the boot" charity. I've raised thousands of dollars doing this and all of the money goes to the MDA foundation!
ReplyDeleteEver since freshman year of high school, every Saturday, I've been volunteering at the Dallas Campus Korean school at St. Andrew's church in Farmers Branch from 9 to 12:30. I thought it would be a great way to give back to the community and to learn more about my culture. Although I no longer volunteer there because I have been busy with school, I feel like I've learned so much while volunteering. The first year I volunteered, I got to help the third graders and that was nice because I could actually help them learn and study Korean. The second year, I was put into the Kindergarten class which was so much fun, because I felt like I was babysitting and teaching them at the same time. Being at the Korean school made me realize how keeping and continuing to learn Korean is a very important thing, and it also made me learn to be responsible, because although I might have been dead tired on a Saturday morning, I still had to go every week. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer, because I don't think it was only the kids that learned, but I think I learned more than they did. I hope next year, I will have time to volunteer at the Korean school again..
ReplyDeleteRecently, I volunteered my time for two different organizations. First, I volunteered for First Step, a local charity organized by Coppell High School student William Kang, benefiting Crohn's Disease reasearch and awareness. I spent 4 hours organizing and overseeing a Dance Competition hosted by First Step.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I volunteered for the first annual Deck The Trails 5K, which benefited the Wagon Wheel Nature Park. I volunteered a total of 3.5 hours monitoring station I, providing encouragement to runners, and cleaning up after the event.
Both volunteer oppurtunities were fun and rewarding, especially the First Step Dance Contest. It was cool to see all the breakdancers compete, and was generally an energetic environment!
On December 4th, I participated in a Christmas ballet performance at the Sterling House nursing home in Lewisville. We performed a series of dances for the residents in this home. After the performance we passed out candy canes to them and spoke with them. It was quite an experience to see them smiling and thanking us for coming. It was extremely rewarding to volunteer and dedicate our time to bring joy to their day and wish them a Merry Christmas. I could really see the gratitude they had for our performance and many asked us to come back soon. To be able to provide this joy to people who don't regularly access outside entertainment was a gift in itself, and all of the hours we spent learning choreography were paid off when seeing the residents' smiling faces and hearing them sing along to the music. I definitely want to come back and visit and be an ear to listen to their stories they are eager to share. It showed me that a little effort and time can bring true happiness that can cheer one's day up and build relationships.
ReplyDeleteI volunteer a lot at the Church of the Apostle's. Over the summer I helped one of the attendants of the church, who is also a teacher, run a classroom. The kids aged from pre-k to 3rd grade. I helped the kids learn how to count, to read, and to write. Also every day I helped teach a bible study. Another thing I do for my church is I take part in Vacation Bible Study. I watch a group of kids as they move from one station to the next learning all these things about Jesus and God. I sang songs and danced with them. Also some Sundays I will volunteer with my Aunt to run the Sunday School during church. It is a time that we teach the kids about the bible. I really find it amazing to watch these kids learn and grow, and I like knowing that I have helped teach them a lesson that they will use through the rest of their life. The kids are a real joy to be around. Usually I don't attend church, but I go to help out with these events. So volunteering helps me to learn all these new things too. Volunteering helped me not only get involved in the lives of all these children, but it really has taught me so much. These kids really have helped me grow up and appreciate more and more things.
ReplyDeleteAt my church occasionally I volunteer at a fish fry. Families come in to eat dinner and we serve them. They fill out sheets and we have to stand in line and pick up everything that they want on their plates. After they are done we clean up everything and wait on the next person to sit down. It is actually a very fun way to spend a Friday night. My friends and I would have contests to see who could serve the most plates or drinks and who could clean the most tables. I greatly enjoy doing it and it makes me happy to see someone smile from eating eating a good meal. We also get super awesome t-shirts.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Senior Leadership Corps this year and I volunteer with Lost Paws Rescue of Texas and Saturday December 10 I volunteered for the adoption event. I spent 5 hours helping with Lost Paws taking care of the dogs, playing with them and talking with customers trying to find them homes. I give back by caring for dogs who have been abused, been in puppy mills and abadonded. They need someone to care for them and break them into loving a human again and I help by playing and petting them. Most of them are from puppy mills so they aren't socially aclimated and fear humans touch so by bringing them out of the cages they get freedom and experience love from a human. It's really rewarding to make the new dogs feel comfortable and help them socialize.
ReplyDeleteI volunteered last Saturday at the Metrocrest Thrift Store, a thrift store aimed at helping the needy by providing cheap clothes and furniture. I carried heavy furniture to and from vehicles, and it taught me a lot about how little some people have, and it made me feel very blessed. I even brought some old clothes of my own to contribute to the store. I've been to the thrift store before, so I kind of knew my way around, but every time I go it helps remind me that others struggle to pay for clothes or furniture, while I'm worried about Skyrim and FIFA. It just brings things into perspective.
ReplyDeleteI volunteer at Petsmart and help out with Lost Paws of Texas. It's a organization which involves helping out with rescue pets and helping with the adoptions. All of the volunteers are required to walk the dogs and talk to some of the people who are looking at the dogs and give some information on the dogs. The main reason I ever began volunteering with Lost Paws is because I love animals and talking to people. I love to connect with animals and make them feel loved so this organization fits me. It takes place 3 saturdays a month and I would recommend anyone who loves animals to volunteer there.
ReplyDeleteI volunteer at San Remo Rehabilitation Center in Richardson. I work with the activities coodinator and I help the residents get to the activities. I help set up activities and help the residents with crafts and games. I love spending time with the residents and I know they love having me there. I was asked by one of the residents to sing for them, once. She enjoyed that so much. Many of the residents don't understand why I spend time there, because I don't get cradit for it and I don't get paid. Honestly, I love being there and I love spending time with the residents.
ReplyDeleteI have recently volunteered at the Metrocrest Thrift Store in Dallas, they basically provide necessary clothing, furniture, and other household needs for relatively cheap. At the thrift store we usually move new incoming furniture from the back or rearrange and fold clothing items. The organization does a lot of good for the community and makes me happy that I can help out. It also makes me feel extremely lucky that I don't have to worry about the clothes on my back or the bed that I sleep in.
ReplyDeleteI have been volunteering for many years with my church youth group, but within this past year I have started volunteering on my own at Christian Works for Children. This is a nonprofit organization that works with placing children for adoption, counseling those who have parents that are going through a divorce, and working with children in the grieving process of a loved one. The work that I normally do there is with the Greif Works program, I help organize closets, and organize each little’s, middles, and teens bucket for their counseling session. Although I am not able to be apart in helping in the counseling sessions with the children, I am there at the start serving dinners to the families. I have really enjoyed my work there I feel like the saying “a little goes a long way” is true. These children each have a different story to tell and even through their pain they still show thankfulness for a start to a new day. Volunteering at Christian Works has become a big part of my life, I grew up going to the office with my mom when I was younger while, she worked and now that I am older I see what great work they are doing for the lives of so many, and I am thankful to give back to such a wonderful organization. I am looking forward to this summer to help at their grieve camp called Camp Erin.
ReplyDeleteI am currently enrolled in the Health Science and Technology II class for Pharmacy Technicians. Mr. Pool is the teacher for the class and he also runs the food pantry of the high school. All donated cans and food items are collected into his classroom. Usually, he does not have a lot of items to store, but this semester the National Honor Society had a can drive and donated over hundreds of cans to the pantry. Mr. Pool didn't have any space to store all the cans and food items. He only had 3 shelves with 5 sections each and could only hold barely 200 cans. So, I took the initiative to reorganize the shelves to make use of the space available. I sorted the cans by what they contained so it would be easier on the families who are coming in to pick up some cans. It's like a mini grocery store now. I really enjoy helping Mr. Pool and the food pantry and now he can help more families in the high school and families from middle and elementary schools as well.
ReplyDeleteEvery summer, our church has a mission trip that the youth go on. This year, we went to Daytona Beach, Florida, and while we did go to the beach a few times, one of my favorite things that we did was singing at various places. One afternoon we went to the Boys and Girls Club there, and we spent about an hour playing with these sweet kids who have had some pretty rough events in their pasts. We also sang several songs, and it was really cool to see their faces light up, especially when one of the girls sang her solo, and they were all just so into the concert. I'm glad that we were able to bring some joy into their lives for a few hours. It was really hard for us to see some of the things that were going on in their lives, though - one little girl, maybe 6 years old, had several cigarette burns on her arms from her mother's boyfriend. These kids just had horrible home situations. I had a lot of fun playing with several of the kids, and as we were leaving, one of the little boys gave several of the girls little dandelions that he had picked. It was just so sweet to see how much love these kids have even though they don't receive a lot of it at home.
ReplyDeleteEvery Wednesday I volunteer at my church teaching a class called “Kids in Mission”. I help teach children from 1st to 5th grade about serving God. It is a great way to teach them that as christians we help our friends, families, church family, community, and people all over the world. Each week we do a mission project to help an organization in need. Last Wednesday we helped an organization called Operation Christmas Child. Everyone brought in a lot of toys and necessities. We took shoe boxes and filled them with things like deodorant, wash cloths, scarves, gloves, hats, toys, stickers, and candy. We wrapped the boxes and sent them to the organization who will then send the boxes out all over the world to children living in poverty. I love volunteering and completing the different projects every week. It is a great way to help those in need and also a great way to teach children about helping the needy and serving God.
ReplyDeleteTwo months ago several football players and myself included went to south oak cliff to help build a playground as part of a church movement towards helping the community. We spent about 10 hours there total because of all the things that were involved in assembling the playground. We mixed cement and were assigned to build a certain section of the playground while actual workers came in and put all the pieces together. It felt good though in the end to help build the playground for the kids because now they have somewhere to go after school and not hang around in the streets.
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