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Reflection on volunteering
The advantages and disadvantages of volunteer work
How has volunteerism impacted my life
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At many times in my life, I have invested my time in goodness. One memory which sticks out in my mind is when I went bowling with Youth Challenge. Youth Challenge is an organization that helps kids with physical disabilities. The smiles on the kids faces when they bowled and were treated like regular kids were priceless. It made me feel great seeing the kids happy. I felt like I was actually making a difference. The good deeds I do with that volunteer organization are beneficial for everyone involved. Thoreau asserts in “Walden” that “Goodness is the only investment that never fails.” He implies that doing good deeds is the only thing one can do that will always be beneficial. This assertion is wrong because many times people aren't
Now, that I am older and more mature, I can do the things I have always wanted to do as well as the things I never knew I wanted to do. I can do without authority; I can do without a plan, but all within reason. I can get a job to earn money, and know not to do it away. I can live on my own with said money, but all I could afford is a dismal apartment. At this point, I am all but disillusioned by what I thought was freedom. Though still with my goals, they know longer seem to fit. What I Iooked forward to, I would rather not see.
William C. Friday, former President of the University of North Carolina system and a dedicated educator, said of Roy H. Park ‘31, distinguished NC State graduate and namesake of the Park Scholarships: "Always of good humor and with a generous heart, he… [shared] of himself gladly in the service of others." How and why have you shared of yourself in the service of others?
I volunteered on November 8, 2015 from 9:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. It felt comfortable to volunteer somewhere I'm familiar with. I go to this temple every Sunday and attend religion classes that helped me during my volunteering. I am also familiar with all the people that I worked with, but this activity helped me connect with them and we got to work together for a common goal. Some of the jobs I was in charge of doing were standing at a game booth for the girls where I would teach them a little about hinduism and then let them play a game.
During my 2 years as a member of The National Honor Society, I have done multiple community services. The best part of doing services is watching others smile because of what I have done to help them better their lives. When I was part of Earth Day at my school, I traveled to the historical paterson great falls. To interact with children on how to reuse our resources to help our community become cleaner. The best part of doing this is that a week after our service, the children were beginning to take small steps by picking up trash off the parks.
I am dedicated to helping out our community and school, because it warms my heart and soul. Seneca said in about 40 to 60 A.D. that you should “be silent as to services you have rendered, but speak of favors you have received.” In other words you should not boast about the numerous projects you have accomplished and how much physical work you executed, but rather pride yourself on how you helped people in community and school, and how you have affected their lives with positive means. I feel life is joyous and it should be the feeling everyone illustrates, and this is exactly what keeps me functioning in the stressful world today. I find comfort in helping others to make their lives a little more like heaven and this comfort motivates me to perform copious service projects to the best of my capability whenever I find the time. Time is fair to the rich, the poor, and to every race, because time is equal and gives everyone 24 hours daily to accomplish their required tasks. Because time is so valuable and I am occupied by difficult advanced placement and honor classes and juggle school, clubs, sports, and friends, I joined Key Club, a high school division of the adult service club, Kiwanis. Key Club opened new doors to make every extra minute count towards helping others.
Being in a school that brought students from various counties and cities with different backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives, opened my eyes to seeing just how diverse humanity is. In a time when everyone is struggling with personal problems, I know how monumental a simple volunteer act can be. One of my favorite acts of service is tutoring. I tutored an elementary-aged girl for two years in Fort Lee and I will always remember those two years as the most fulfilling. Education is so precious, and children are the most open to it.
Additionally, Thoreau explains that doing good is not “[feeding] me should I be starving, or [warming] me should I be cold, or [pulling] me out of a ditch if I should ever fall in one” (Thoreau 54). These actions are not goodness because these actions are not leading by example. Essentially, Thoreau believes that people need to teach others how to solve problems, not solve other people’s problems. So, those who do instead of teach are not helping society, and therefore, are not doing good. By not doing good, these people are causing more problems in society instead of helping society, because the people that need help are not receiving what they need.
I started volunteering at the food bank and the soup kitchen in grade 9, with a nudge from my friend. During my time as a volunteer, I would ask for donations and collect any non-perishable food items. Later I would go to the Soup Kitchen, to help cook some of these items and serve them to those in need. My volunteering experience allowed me to experience the environment and face situations that I otherwise would not. It opened my eyes to the harsh reality and lifestyle that many individuals in our society face today. My time at the food bank and Soup Kitchen helped me understand the importance of giving, ...
Summer vacation, and school ends for about three months, and then you have as much fun as you can, then back to school… right? Well I had to go to summer school, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Everything was going fine, I had a job after summer school, and that was going fine as well. They say that summer is supposed to be fun and exciting, and it usually is for me and my family. However in July my father started coughing up blood. My father usually doesn’t make it his top priority to go to the doctors, so he waited about four weeks until he really didn’t feel good.
I grew up frequenting non profit organizations like Feed My Starving Children and local women’s shelters. I was very involved with my church and their youth programs and fundraising projects. The excitement and humility I felt after doing something selfless are feelings that stick with me today. I believe in random acts of kindness: you do something for somebody and you never tell anybody. It is one of the most humbling things you can do. And although I’ve never single-handedly organized and made
In all of my actions, I strive to have a positive impact on the lives around me. Experience has shown that even the most innocuous actions one takes, can make a profound difference in someone else's life. From the smile of encouragement, the touch of care, and the sacrifice of time, these actions can occur at just the right moment to inspire someone towards greatness.
Last year I played baseball for a little league team. In order to go to the championship, we needed to win the game we were playing. The other team was too good for us so we lost and didn’t make the championship. We had to face competition and failed. Some people contemplate that competition is good for kids, while others do not.
I have personally lived up to this motto by participating in a variety of services that benefit others. I have over 350 hours of volunteer service at the Clearwater Morton Plant Mease Hospital where I discharged patients from the hospital and delivered flowers and
Because of many reasons, change can be one of the hardest things to do in life. Eventually, some change is necessary because it can, in time and immediately, create better situations for, not only yourself, but for the ones around you. In some cases, which seem rare, change can do damage, it can cause pain, sorrow, regret, and other various feelings of negativity. A friend of mine has changed for the better, and not only has it helped him, but it also helped the others around him. On the other and a past acquaintance of mine went in the other direction when in came down to crunch time and he hasn't found his way back since.
I also had the privilege of helping with the Meals on Wheels non profit organization. My grandfather used to be a Meals on Wheels recipient and he would share with me how he enjoyed looking forward to their company and a hot meal daily. I volunteered because I wanted to give back and help someone else’s loved one in the same way. It was very rewarding delivering hot meals to people who didn’t have the means of getting one as well as being there for them to talk to. Overall, it was a very humbling experience, it made me realize just how blessed I am and how much I take for granted daily.