Week 1: Mission Accomplished

My first week on the job was quite the adventure. My first day out I was sent off on my own by Matt Hinton, the 2nd-in-command in the Outreach Department. I registered a few people to vote and helped some other request absentee ballots. All week I visited nursing homes and assisted living centers so that we could bring our services, such as voter registration and answering questions about elections procedure, right to their rooms/cafterias. It was really inspiring to know that I was providing a vital service to the men and women in those places of care, because they can't do it on their own: they are truly grateful for the dedication put in by the members of the outreach department.



I was surprised at how quickly I assimilated into the office atmosphere. The one thing I can safely say I never want to do is sit behind a desk for more then 4 hours at a time. I am so lucky because I am working with the "face" of the elections department. Therefore, we have to be seen!



There was a challenging part to last weeks visits. Although some of the persons re-registering, requesting absentee ballots, or what have you, were quite intelligible and lucid, there were a few that had trouble remembering things like the last 4 digits of their social security numbers or their birth years. It makes you thankful for your health, visiting places like those.



Besides registering people to vote, I was contacting community businesses/service providers/organizations to confirm addresses that the outreach department had on file for each of them. Basically, I was attempting to confirm as many addresses as possible in order

to avoid high quanities of returned mail from a community letter mailing we will be doing in the next week or so. Returned mail can put some departmental budgets in the red! :(



The assisted living communities were new environments for me to experience. Believe it or not, not a single one we visited was remotely similar in any way. There are so many differing approaches to assisted living facilities. Some are very impersonal and smell like hospitals. Others are like resort living! The one thing that struck me was that I could sense the comfort/happiness of the inhabitants of theses places by the attitudes of the staff/nurses. The most organized places had the happiest staff members and the most communal feeling. It was nice connecting with some of the residents; some of them have survived their children's lives and really don't have family; so, no visitors for them. Just handing a wheelchair confined veteran a flag-lapel pin can change his entire demeanor and open him up to a casual conversation about civic duty. These elderly folks have a lot to say if someone would just listen.

I am loving the work I am doing. I know that I'm planting the seed for many people to make conscientious decisions at the polls.

Have a great day! :D

Let the learning begin!

So this is somewhat backwards, as my first official day of service is tomorrow. Day 1 of 11 full (5 day) weeks of 8 to 5 work in the Outreach department of Polk County's Supervisor of Elections Office. It is definitely going to be a learning experience - hence the title of this post :) I am really looking forward to the person to person work, but to be completely honest, I am really nervous! I'm expected at the office by 7:40 for coffee in the break room with my new team members. I might bring a tea bag, since coffee 1) is addictive 2) requires sugar (at least for me it does and I'm trying to cut back on that) and 3) isn't nearly as yummy and healthy as green tea.

Instead of living at home, my parents have graciously allowed me to "rent" a small apartment from them. This apartment happens to be the same one I grew up in when it was just me, mom, and daddy. :) Kinda cool. Also weird.

I'm desperate for one more grade to be posted on Banner web. Anyone care to comment with the date grades are due? I'm doing great so far, but this one remaining grade is the only one worrying me!

The Civil Rights Travel Experience is going to be so eye opening. I'm finishing up the first book, God's Long Summer, and I am in awe of how much the ideals behind the movement are the same ones that (should) shape the concept of community engagement and the Bonner program itslef.

I miss the Seniors - now Stetson Grads - so much already! If any of you read this, thanks for 2 wonderful years of friendship!

So, tomorrow I plunge feet first into the water. I shouldn't be nervous; I have volunteered there for the past 6 years (whoa, typing that has made me realize just how old I am and how young I was!). I shall update you henceforth weekly, maybe more. I really enjoy blogging, I'm just not good at keeping up with a personal blog.

Have a great day, whoever you are reading this!