Sunday, January 31, 2010

Another week...

I just started my new CLA: Student Coalition to End Homelessness. It's amazing how much you learn when you join organizations. Last semester I didn't really feel like I found a place that I could consider a location of my own, none really outshined the rest. However, I'm really enjoying my time working with the Coalition. Not only is everyone full of energy (Lauren and Mary) but it's a change you can see and one that you feel. We take for granted having a dorm to cover our heads at night when huge storms blow limbs off trees and many of us complained because the power went out for about an hour, but what about those people who are sleeping in makeshift tents in the woods? It's situations like this that make me think about where I'm at as a student.
I really enjoy working at the Neighborhood Center and it's nice to have the constant reminder that while people may look to you to help solve their problems, you have to realize that you can't help everyone. It's hard to see that sometimes but it's a slice of reality when you have to turn people away for whatever reason. The Coalition also works with other areas to hand out food and I can't wait to start that on Wednesday!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Service Quotes

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

~Ghandi



Everyone is always trying to find a way to see who they are and what they will do in life. In community service we all work very hard for the community. What some people do not realize is that this type of service really helps you understand who you are. I believe that in some way doing this service will more than likely help you determine what you want to do in life. It can help you find the job you want and what you want to teach others about so that they may want to help those in need. When you work for the community and you see things you normally don't then you learn something new and when you learn new things your mind tells you what you should do about it. I have never worked with service dogs before but when I started going to New Horizons and seeing the difference in the puppies and the trained guide dogs I realized that I wanted to do more than just bathe the dogs and socialize with the puppies. I knew that I wanted to Puppy raise a guide dog puppy. I know that giving up a dog is hard and I have always had problems with that but going to New Horizons I knew that I wanted to do something special for the people that are in need of guide dogs. By helping them I can raise a puppy for a year and give it back to New Horizons and be thankful that it gets to go to somebody who needs the dog more than I do.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Service Quote

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world" -Anne Frank

As we all know, the life of a college student is hectic. We have classes, organizations and clubs, social lives, and service to balance all at once. Because we often have so many things happening in one day, the only way to see that everything gets done is to devote a specific amount of time to each area. This is why my planner is currently one of my most valuable possessions. It reminds me of when things need to be done and how long I can devote to doing them. Often times, this strict schedule is helpful but at the same time there are days when I wish the entire dated box was empty and my life wasn't so controlled by time. Although I am sure a day like that probably won't happen, the one great thing is that there is always time to improve the world we are living in. We don't have to set a time to do it, we don't have to schedule it for a certain amount of time each day, we don't have to wait for anything to get started on making a difference.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Service Quotation

If you want happiness for a lifetime - help the next generation.” -Chinese Proverb

As I was trying to sift through the many quotations on service, trying to find one that encompassed my feelings about being a servant to those in need, I realized that there were too many to choose from. Service is something that I am passionate about, especially because there are so many different ways to do it. I came across this Chinese proverb, and it really called out to me. I would say that most of the service that we perform is going to better the next generation after ours. Whether it be through volunteering at an elementary school or after school program, or helping an elderly couple interact with their grandchildren, or even volunteering with a parenting program that teaches parents how to properly nurture and care for their children. All in all, our service is going to help the next generation so that we can live in a better world ourselves and leave a legacy and image for the next generation to follow.
One of the key factors in helping the next generation is empowerment. Through empowering the people of today and teaching them how to serve others as a way of life, and helping themselves at the same time, I think that our service goals can be continually fulfilled. This hope of fulfillment is what keeps me serving others even when sometimes I feel like I can't.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Quotations

So a quotation that means something to me about service. I heard this, I believe, at the first IMPACT conference I attended in 2008:

"Nothing is stronger than the heart of a volunteer." Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle , April 18, 1942.

This quote hits home because if you think about it, what is stronger than someone who would drop all they're doing and go to Haiti to help? Or stop on their drive to work to rescue a stray dog? It seems to me that this purity sets some apart from others. This is not to say that not everyone has this in their hearts, but some people seem to pay more attention to crafting this ability within themselves. I feel like as Bonner scholars we really can become strong through crafting our hearts to be sympathetic, empathetic, and caring for others. Volunteering is meant to help others.