Have you ever volunteered? Served your community? Worked for no pay? It's a rewarding experience for me and that's why I try to as much as I can. It sends tingles through my spine and knowing that I helped make someone else's life, less fortunate than mine, better is the best gift I can recieve. Knowing how I feel about volunteering, a couple summers ago my mom re-contacted one of her good friends to get together for lunch. Little did we both know, she was now the head volunteer coordinator for one of our local hospitals: St. Luke's. As they caught up my mom talked about all of her children, including me. You see, that summer I had went and job-shadowed my aunt. She's a pediatrician and that's when I made the initial decision to become a pediatrician when I grow up. Upon hearing this, my mother's friend Angela told her about her job position and how many high school students became volunteers for the hospital in order to prepare for the pre med field in college. So, I decided what the heck I have some extra time on my hands with it being summer, why don't I volunteer? So I started. First, I had to go through an interview, a flu and TB shot, and some paperwork and began training at the Emergency Department Desk with a volunteer of 25 years, Joanne. She had been working the shift that I was going to start for about 20 years and had built up many memories. While she trained me; she told me alot of her memories about the amazing people she's met, the lives she's touched, and the fun she's had while doing so. Many of her closest friends were volunteers and she never regretted a moment of her life at this desk. Seeing Joanne as happy as she was made me want to volunteer for the rest of my life. I have volunteered at the hospital over 200 hours so far and someday hope that becomes 2,000. I continue to work at the Emergency Department desk checking in patients, cleaning the waiting room, and making sure patients have a drink, a blanket, or a bag if need be.
At times when I feel stressed out with my life, I know that the moment I walk into the volunteer corridor of the hospital I feel welcomed. It's like their my second family and they are the nicest people you have ever met in your life. They always know what to say to make me feel better and being behind the emergency desk, helping patients and serving a greater good relieves alot of the stress I walk in the building with. I have really enjoyed volunteering over the years and hope to continue doing so. Someday, I want to be Joanne. A volunteer veteran. A true good soul with an amazing heart that cares for others. She is inspiring to me and those who surround her and I hope she knows this.
No matter how busy your life may be, there's always time to be a volunteer. Check out your local pantry, Salvation Army, American Redcross, or any other organization and get involved. Even if it takes a couple minutes of every week, do something for others. Make it a New Years resolution to volunteer once a week every week of the year, it will do wonders.
To learn more about volunteering at St. Luke's Hospital; visit:
http://www.stlukescr.org/body.cfm?id=74
No comments:
Post a Comment