I try to do what I can. Today, my son and I, helped my friend with her flower bed at the Arboretum. We weeded, hauled mulch and hauled and placed bricks.
I help a neighbor out anytime she needs with errands, driving her to the doctor, mowing her lawn. My 8yo. has been checking her mail for over a year since she can't get out as much with her oxygen.
I help out at all the scout meetings and anytime i'm called to help out at school.
I volunteered at my daughter's school all 13 years, was room mother, served on the PTO, ran the bookfairs , worked in the school office every Friday to help out and went on all the field trips. My sister in law teaches autistic, special needs children and I help her out when I can, in her room, farm trips and zoo trips and I have come to love her class. I also help my BF who works at the local Senior Center, I teach crafts projects.
Yes, I do! During the school year, I go into my schools school and present "respect' - its a program to teach jr high kiddos about respecting others and themselves.
I also volunteer at the March of Dimes. Almost 7 years ago m y daughter wa a micro-preemie that was born 17 weeks too soon. She fought hard for almost 6 months and passed away right before she turned 6 months old. Through the March of Dimes, I reach out to mommas who babies are not expected to make it and to Mommas who have lost their babies, before their 1st birthday. I will do anything a preemie-Momma needs help with - make dinner, watch siblings so she can go to the NICU to see her baby. Just sit with her and cry, talk. Whatever is needed. Sadly, I have even helped mommas plan their childs funeral.
Its not pretty - but the road we are on isn't pretty either. And just sometimes, having someone who has walked the path that youre on, helps. So I help in any way I can.
I am on the selection committee for 'Our Home Kikanow', which is our small town's (about 15000 people) version of Habitat for Humanity. We are in charge of reviewing the applications for partner families, doing the appropriate reference and credit checks, interviewing and finally selecting the partner family for each home we build. This is a fairly new organization and we are just completing the build of our second home! As well as the selection committee, I also help out with a bunch of the fundraising efforts, particularly the Ladies Night Out fundraising social.
My parents were actually 2 of the founding members of the organization which is how I became involved in the first place. They volunteer many more hours than I do but with 2 girls under 3 I do what I can.
I am quite active in our church and with my dd's school. I am the church's craft coordinator (go figure ;) ), I help teach in the children's ministry, and I try to help at as many event activities as I can. I volunteer for as much classroom school time as I can and I volunteered once a week in the library last year. Oh and I'm a field striper for soccer. Technically you have to sign up to volunteer for my daughter's league but I feel I went a step beyond with striping instead of the 2 hour concession duty!
I was the Registrar for the preschool for 4 years. I was on the PTC at the Elementary school the last two years. I stepped down this year because of conflicts with school. I donate blood. I'm 0- and there's a crisis right now. :)
Yes I do! I volunteer at my local hospital, although its more for me to gain experience for my future career as a dietitian. I also volunteer a couple weeks of my time each summer at a children's diabetic camp. In fact, I'm headed up there this coming Saturday. I always have so much fun and learn so much!
I serve as a leader in my oldest son's scout troop and explorer post. I volunteer for my kids classrooms. I serve on my church's choir. I'm a member of the high school booster club and do occasional things from MDA and our local food bank.
dh and I volunteer leading youth worship at our church. He plays guitar, I play keyboard, and we both sing and mentor the rest of the band, which are comprised of high schoolers. We did it for about 4.5 years.....when I tore my ACL back in January, we were given the option of bowing out for the rest of the year, as they knew how tough my injury was to get around on a normal basis, plus with dh in school they knew in the spring he'd have to miss a bunch of Fridays for exams, etc.
I miss it, but it was definitely the right move for us. With me doing physiotherapy 4 hrs/day, it didn't leave much room for much else!
I volunteer extensively at my children's schools. I started when the first one started kindergarten and it only gets more and more time involved as the years go by. I also do United Way, and food baskets during the holiday season. I love getting to do this...I started food programs in 2 different places I have lived, don't know why, but I love getting to give people food ...the looks on their faces is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
I serve on our church's board of directors, as well as our school district's gifted education committee and a foundation board for the school that provides grants to teachers. I also help with DS's boy scout troop, and both DD and DS's band and music activities.
I love hearing what everyone does to pitch in. I truly believe volunteers make all the difference! Thank you for sharing! After hearing about all the wonderful things, I can't wait to see what else is available in my community.
Great question and love reading the responses! Honestly, I never feel like I'm doing enough. There are so many opportunities to serve, but you have to step outside your own little bubble! Sometimes I just want to stay in my comfort zone!
Most of our volunteering is at our church, and most of it involves music. I sing in the choir and in smaller vocal groups, and my husband plays in the worship band. I volunteered a few weeks ago at a Worship Arts camp for teens and taught the vocal section.
I also volunteered at my son's school this year, teaching an art history lesson once a month and leading the kids in a related art project. I try to volunteer on an as-needed basis whenever there's a call for more help at school.
And I rarely pass up a chance to bake things for various events at school or church. When we lived in Oklahoma, we volunteered once a month at an inner-city mission, helping to cook and serve a meal and then leading a worship service afterward. I'd love to get involved with something like that again.
I was on the parental board at my children's pre-school last year but EVERY meeting coincided with our monthly evening conference at work. What are the odds?! For an entire year. I was so embarassed I stepped down this year. I just don't have the time right now!
Yup! I just finished up a stint as the Booster Club President last year for our XC and Track Team - it involved lots of fundraising, I have the girls do some service projects and a really popular concession stand.....I had a lot of awesome volunteer helpers so that made it so much easier but I was glad to "retire" when my daughter graduated.
Now I do a lot with my son's scout troop. I taught the Ad Altare Dei medal program (about a year) to scouts in the town's two troops that attend our church. It involved them doing a lot of service projects for the community so it was a win/win; I'm on the Scout Committee for his troop so there are monthly housekeeping things that I do to keep the troop running - I also am a merit badge counselor for a few badges. We do a lot with our church whenever they have events, I just finished up a stint as a decorating committee chair for his 8th grade formal and I ran a small tutoring group for my son and some classmates for an Earth Science regent they had to take. I'm actually in a bit of a "lull" since my daughter is in college so I'll most likely get involved in things that interest me more (vs. their activities) - 2 on the front burner are helping out with a campaign for a county supervisor and doing some kind of volunteer math/science tutoring in our community. We also do a lot for the food pantry and farming community in our town.
I know what you mean Penny - sometimes I feel like we should do more but when I actually type it all out I guess I do ok!
I have volunteered at all my childrens' school extensively since they started preschool and continue to do so. It is mostly music based and I volunteer with the Stampede Showband on its' fund raising events. Thus, i will be selling 50/50 tickets everyday at the rodeo this year.
I will continue to help out with school volunteering for my younger son and daughter, but I really want to do some things based on my personal interests.
I would love to be a baby cuddler at the hospital in the NICU as both my younger kids spent a large chunk of time there when they were born and I always said I would give back to that cause, as someone cuddled my babies when I couldn't.
I would also like to give back to my cancer world in some capacity, but I'm working on that! :) There's lots of cool choices!
Do you volunteer your time or services anywhere?
I try to do what I can. Today, my son and I, helped my friend with her flower bed at the Arboretum. We weeded, hauled mulch and hauled and placed bricks.
I help a neighbor out anytime she needs with errands, driving her to the doctor, mowing her lawn. My 8yo. has been checking her mail for over a year since she can't get out as much with her oxygen.
I help out at all the scout meetings and anytime i'm called to help out at school.
I volunteered at my daughter's school all 13 years, was room mother, served on the PTO, ran the bookfairs , worked in the school office every Friday to help out and went on all the field trips. My sister in law teaches autistic, special needs children and I help her out when I can, in her room, farm trips and zoo trips and I have come to love her class. I also help my BF who works at the local Senior Center, I teach crafts projects.
that's awesome Rhonda! it's inspiring to see what others do.
Yes, I do! During the school year, I go into my schools school and present "respect' - its a program to teach jr high kiddos about respecting others and themselves.
I also volunteer at the March of Dimes. Almost 7 years ago m y daughter wa a micro-preemie that was born 17 weeks too soon. She fought hard for almost 6 months and passed away right before she turned 6 months old. Through the March of Dimes, I reach out to mommas who babies are not expected to make it and to Mommas who have lost their babies, before their 1st birthday. I will do anything a preemie-Momma needs help with - make dinner, watch siblings so she can go to the NICU to see her baby. Just sit with her and cry, talk. Whatever is needed. Sadly, I have even helped mommas plan their childs funeral.
Its not pretty - but the road we are on isn't pretty either. And just sometimes, having someone who has walked the path that youre on, helps. So I help in any way I can.
I am on the selection committee for 'Our Home Kikanow', which is our small town's (about 15000 people) version of Habitat for Humanity. We are in charge of reviewing the applications for partner families, doing the appropriate reference and credit checks, interviewing and finally selecting the partner family for each home we build. This is a fairly new organization and we are just completing the build of our second home! As well as the selection committee, I also help out with a bunch of the fundraising efforts, particularly the Ladies Night Out fundraising social.
My parents were actually 2 of the founding members of the organization which is how I became involved in the first place. They volunteer many more hours than I do but with 2 girls under 3 I do what I can.
I am quite active in our church and with my dd's school. I am the church's craft coordinator (go figure ;) ), I help teach in the children's ministry, and I try to help at as many event activities as I can. I volunteer for as much classroom school time as I can and I volunteered once a week in the library last year. Oh and I'm a field striper for soccer. Technically you have to sign up to volunteer for my daughter's league but I feel I went a step beyond with striping instead of the 2 hour concession duty!
I was the Registrar for the preschool for 4 years. I was on the PTC at the Elementary school the last two years. I stepped down this year because of conflicts with school. I donate blood. I'm 0- and there's a crisis right now. :)
Yes I do! I volunteer at my local hospital, although its more for me to gain experience for my future career as a dietitian. I also volunteer a couple weeks of my time each summer at a children's diabetic camp. In fact, I'm headed up there this coming Saturday. I always have so much fun and learn so much!
I serve as a leader in my oldest son's scout troop and explorer post. I volunteer for my kids classrooms. I serve on my church's choir. I'm a member of the high school booster club and do occasional things from MDA and our local food bank.
dh and I volunteer leading youth worship at our church. He plays guitar, I play keyboard, and we both sing and mentor the rest of the band, which are comprised of high schoolers. We did it for about 4.5 years.....when I tore my ACL back in January, we were given the option of bowing out for the rest of the year, as they knew how tough my injury was to get around on a normal basis, plus with dh in school they knew in the spring he'd have to miss a bunch of Fridays for exams, etc.
I miss it, but it was definitely the right move for us. With me doing physiotherapy 4 hrs/day, it didn't leave much room for much else!
I volunteer extensively at my children's schools. I started when the first one started kindergarten and it only gets more and more time involved as the years go by. I also do United Way, and food baskets during the holiday season. I love getting to do this...I started food programs in 2 different places I have lived, don't know why, but I love getting to give people food ...the looks on their faces is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
I serve on our church's board of directors, as well as our school district's gifted education committee and a foundation board for the school that provides grants to teachers. I also help with DS's boy scout troop, and both DD and DS's band and music activities.
I love hearing what everyone does to pitch in. I truly believe volunteers make all the difference! Thank you for sharing! After hearing about all the wonderful things, I can't wait to see what else is available in my community.
Great question and love reading the responses! Honestly, I never feel like I'm doing enough. There are so many opportunities to serve, but you have to step outside your own little bubble! Sometimes I just want to stay in my comfort zone!
Most of our volunteering is at our church, and most of it involves music. I sing in the choir and in smaller vocal groups, and my husband plays in the worship band. I volunteered a few weeks ago at a Worship Arts camp for teens and taught the vocal section.
I also volunteered at my son's school this year, teaching an art history lesson once a month and leading the kids in a related art project. I try to volunteer on an as-needed basis whenever there's a call for more help at school.
And I rarely pass up a chance to bake things for various events at school or church. When we lived in Oklahoma, we volunteered once a month at an inner-city mission, helping to cook and serve a meal and then leading a worship service afterward. I'd love to get involved with something like that again.
I was on the parental board at my children's pre-school last year but EVERY meeting coincided with our monthly evening conference at work. What are the odds?! For an entire year. I was so embarassed I stepped down this year. I just don't have the time right now!
Yup! I just finished up a stint as the Booster Club President last year for our XC and Track Team - it involved lots of fundraising, I have the girls do some service projects and a really popular concession stand.....I had a lot of awesome volunteer helpers so that made it so much easier but I was glad to "retire" when my daughter graduated.
Now I do a lot with my son's scout troop. I taught the Ad Altare Dei medal program (about a year) to scouts in the town's two troops that attend our church. It involved them doing a lot of service projects for the community so it was a win/win; I'm on the Scout Committee for his troop so there are monthly housekeeping things that I do to keep the troop running - I also am a merit badge counselor for a few badges. We do a lot with our church whenever they have events, I just finished up a stint as a decorating committee chair for his 8th grade formal and I ran a small tutoring group for my son and some classmates for an Earth Science regent they had to take. I'm actually in a bit of a "lull" since my daughter is in college so I'll most likely get involved in things that interest me more (vs. their activities) - 2 on the front burner are helping out with a campaign for a county supervisor and doing some kind of volunteer math/science tutoring in our community. We also do a lot for the food pantry and farming community in our town.
I know what you mean Penny - sometimes I feel like we should do more but when I actually type it all out I guess I do ok!
I have volunteered at all my childrens' school extensively since they started preschool and continue to do so. It is mostly music based and I volunteer with the Stampede Showband on its' fund raising events. Thus, i will be selling 50/50 tickets everyday at the rodeo this year.
I will continue to help out with school volunteering for my younger son and daughter, but I really want to do some things based on my personal interests.
I would love to be a baby cuddler at the hospital in the NICU as both my younger kids spent a large chunk of time there when they were born and I always said I would give back to that cause, as someone cuddled my babies when I couldn't.
I would also like to give back to my cancer world in some capacity, but I'm working on that! :) There's lots of cool choices!