Are you a volunteer?

Question

What kind of volunteering do you do? How often? What do you like most about it? What don' t you like? I'm trying to choose something to do on weekends.

Answer 1

I do a lot of different types volunteer work through my volunteer center. On a couple weekends, I like to volunteer at the local children's shelter. We play with the kids after lunch for a couple of hours. On alternate weekends, I lead a group of teenagers at couple of projects at one of our local museums. One of the projects is a trash cleanup of one of the local canyons, and the other project is a docent project in which the teens help with the exhibits.

In past weekends, I've volunteered at some one-time projects working at the local animal shelter playing with the animals. I've participated in a community center cleanup a couple of times, and I've done some gardening at one of the local parks a few times.

I like the variety of different things that I do and the flexibility. I don't really have any negatives, but the closest thing is the fact that since I lead a couple of the projects, I feel kind of obligated to find a leader to cover for me when I can't be there.

I highly recommend volunteering. It's a lot of fun, and you're helping your community at the same time.
http://www.handsonnetwork.org/our-network/
http://www.pointsoflight.org/centers/find_center.cfm
http://national.unitedway.org

Answer 2

I 'volunteered' to work at a hospital when I was 15 but only because my school had it as a graduation requirement, which in my eyes does not make it volunteer work. I also delivered food to AIDS patients as part of a 'volunteer' program required to pass my class on AIDS. I am so altruistic -- if there is a Heaven, Peter is going to volunteer to escort me straight to the Almighty for a special audience, I'm sure.

Answer 3

Well : I am a" Member with Kiwanis International Clubs
that is Cal- Nev -Hawaii Divison 36 local Organization which
we'd Build & Support each 1 Community by helping those
Sponsor's Foundation also you can join as an group volunteer where the donations gives hopes towards others
like keeping City Clean Program

Answer 4

I've been a volunteer at my son's school for several years now, serving on the executive board of the PTA 2 out of 3 years. During the time I did that I started an after school art program for the kids, got a book put in the hands of every student, and gave them the opportunity to meet some animals that they would have never come face to face with in any other circumstances, just to name a few of my favorite things.

I also volunteered for the Organization for Bat Conservation, putting in over 500 hours there assisting with animal care, and doing public programs teaching the importance of bats to our environment.

Answer 5

I'm currently taking a break due to school pressures and yucky stuff but I've done volunteering at

-library
-nursing home
-school
-conservation

As to what you go to would depend on what you'd get out of it. They're all very varied, but say you love getting out and seeing amazing enviroments then conservation stuff could be for you. Its an awesome way to travel the world cheaply as well.

I recently did a conservation camp at snowy mountains Australia, the environment was absolutely stunning, and as a gift for us volunteers they gave us a free helicopter ride over the park. I cannot say how wonderful helicopters are, it was absolutely freaking fantastic. Yet I came from the country, I'm a farm girl and a lot of my personal principals and ethics clashed with the conservation ideas. Just their attitude to farmers really ticked me off... but everyone is different

Now nursing homes can be a bit intimidating because when you first start all you see are lots of old people who are in wheel chairs and can't do anything for themselves. It takes a while to learn how to interact with them while being in control yet being respectful. That said if you happen to like history, THIS IS TOTALLY THE GENERATION TO GO TO. This generation, turning 90/80 were involved in the wars, and many of them have fought in one, amazing stories are held in their brains. One of mine was an ex spy, he had some hilarious tales, you really enjoy it.

It sometimes was like stepping into another world, one lady kept giving me tips "girls who don't learn how to pour tea properly will remain spinsters"
'' you should find a nice boy and settle down and have some kids''
"you didn't come last week, did you get married'?
and lots of other hilarious ideas about what I as a young lady should do in order to get a husband.

Then library... I love books, but I must say the libraries I've been to seem to have some mean librarians, this was just my experience though and I love interacting with people so the library didn't hold that much for me.

Schooling, beware you must know all kids names otherwise they get hurt. :P but I had fun, got to muck around with the kids helping them read just being a general assistant. It took a lot out of me though, looking after a big group and being "go go go!" all the time catches up with you.

Just look around, but also look into which ones need training and which ones are more flexible, like conservation can sign up once no real commitment, while the nursing home they gave me flexible hours but I did it for about 8 months...

Answer 6

Very proudly, yes! I volunteer with the fire department. I've been an EMT for 4 years now and I love it. I'm currently living at the firehouse (temporarily), and there's so much that I love about it.....The comradery, the feeling of family and pride, the way that we all look out for each other. Even though we have our disagreements, and we have PLENTY of those, when it comes to crunch time, we're all there for each other, watching each other's backs. Just last weekend, we ran a call for a drunk driver who rammed his car into a tree. I stayed in the car with the patient while my guys cut the car apart around us to get him out safely, and as soon as they started smashing glass, I was covered with a blanket so I wasn't sprayed with glass shards. When they started cutting the roof off the car, one of my guys (my brothers) put his helmet on my head in case the roof shifted above me.

It's all about trust and respect in the fire department and I love that! We follow each other into Hell time and time again, and there's something to be said for that. I trust every one of those guys with my life and well-being, and there aren't many volunteer organizations that can say that!

Answer 7

My kids and I volunteer with feeding the homeless, storytelling (or just reading) at the childrens hospital and at homeless shelters, and I personally volunteer at Battered Womens shelters. I love everything about all of the above! The best part for me though is to see my 13 year old and 15 year old boys reading to the children who in some cases have no one else to read to them.

Answer 8

I work a city wide food drive twice a year. I sing at nursing homes twice a month. I chaperone school activities. I help raise funds for nonprofit charities and help with city-wide cleanups.

Answer 9

You might also try volunteer match:

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

best of luck to you friend.

Answer 10

The old folks home is a forgotten society so go there first,,,If you are singlel"""" and looking for a mate" the rich ones are at the hospital????doctors...smiles