Volunteering

by BlackSwan of Memphis 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Ilovebirthdays

  Right now my volunteering is limited to helping at my son's school. I have a preschooler and one in Kindergarten, so I don't have much time without them, and when I tried to look for places to volunteer, I couldn't bring them with me, which I understand. Once my youngest is in Kindy, I'm hoping to either volunteer for the local food bank or hospice. My MIL died of lung cancer, and hospice was an amazing resource and help, and I want to do something to help them in return.

  Oh, I forgot my husband's work does Toys for Tots in conjunction with the Marines at Christmastime. I usually help out there for a bit.
• 

  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Something that strikes me with some posts is that there is the idea that there is ".... well I can only do this, right now, but want to do more eventually."

  I'm wondering if that is a hangover from our past of not feeling like we're doing enough?

  I mean, think of it like this, whatever it is, when it comes from the heart, it rocks, it's a good thing.

  ILBDAYS: Volunteering at your son's preschool is a beautiful thing. Here in the Metro Detroit area I have a friend who has volunteered with a local organization that is basically like a latchkey, but it runs til 7 or 8 pm at night. They provide hot meals and activities and a place for students to do their homework. The parents of these kids are all over the board. Some of them are working 2 or more jobs, some seriously don't care either way. You care about your son and his class. Yah, I think that counts as volunteer. Hospice can be an amazing resource. I hope that you are able to do all that you really want to do

  zoiks: oy, yah, the escaping is half the battle. I totally hear ya. I remember when I was trying (badly, but trying) to fade, I couldn't wait to be able to move on with my life.

  Joshnaz: Wow, on the streets for 9 months and you bounced back. That's an amazing story. You help the elderly, that's really loving. :) I will check out the website tonight. It sounds like something that could always use support.

  A Guest: Good Grief lady!! (I'm assuming you're female cuz of your, er, symbol....) you sound like you never stop!

  Blondie: Yes doing WT comments counts :) Where would we go without it? United way too. I'm learning more about that organization and it seems super cool.

  I am a GS co leader, and am thinking of adding to that, being the director for my neighborhood. The other night at our leader mtg the current director tells us she can't find a replacement and I kid you not, every single head (other than mine) burrowed their heads very deeply into their paperwork. The director looked so stressed out, I thought she was gonna cry, and she looked at me with these pitiful eyes, and so now I think I'm probably gonna do it and i have NO clue what I'm doing. Oh, I also take care of cookies. ..... we have a new cookie coming out this year too :)
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  Plummet

  The co-worker, whose family adopted me, has kids enrolled in the program and is always asking me to join them. Even though it is not a religious program, it is held in the classrooms of a large local Bapist church. I do believe it is part of a national program, although I dont remember the name, where eventually kids from here will be sent to areas to compete in a region setting.

  I have lost a lot, I really have. It hurts bad, it is the worst feeling that I have ever had, the feeling of abandonment, being lost and loosing everything. I was put away in a mental facitity and am currently seeing a theripist, who I don't think is helping much at all. Some days are harder then others, some days I feel so phyisically weak and some days I fall apart and then there are bad days.

  I may have lost everything, but I have gained so much more, it is that that I have to focus on. I am truly free and young enough to start over fresh. I have found the meaning of true friendship and learning more about myself everyday and finding out how strong I really am. I find that when I dwell on all that I lost I feel so much worse. But when i focus on the good that has come out of all this I feel so much better. When I can help others I feel so much better about myself as well and thats where volunteering is starting to come into my life. It give me a sence of accomplishment helps with the self esteem.
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  chickpea

  i am on the chapter board of a non-profit national advocacy group

  until this week, i had been a moderator on a forum for
  adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse..... i actually
  stepped down this week due to circumstances that
  have been splitting my focus....4 years was enough...

  as an alternative healthcare provider, i have made
  some of my services available thru the local women's
  shelter, gratis

  i used to go door-to-door
  and bother people..
  i voluntarily stopped
• 

  thomas15

  Once again my disclaimer about not ever prsonally being a JW...

  I live in a semi-rural part of North East Pennsylvania. Many people say that there isn't anything to do around here, I disagree.

  When we moved here in 2004 and we didn't know anyone I determined to meet people. I have meet people through my church but at age 46 I became a volunteer firefighter. My county is 100% volunteer fire services. Being an actual firefighter isn't for everyone but fire compnies like mine need non-active members to run the company. There is plenty for non-firefighters to do.

  In 5 years I have gone from knowing nothing about the fire service to becoming certified by PA as a Firefighter, Automobile Rescue Tech, Truck-Bus rescue Tech, Haz-Mat ops. I have training in water rescue, confined space rescue, forest fire, I have a class B CDL with tanker and airbrake endorsement. I'm secretary of the local fireman's relief association and the secretary of the county firemen's association. Right now I'm 3/4 of the way through training to become a volunteer EMT.

  I went on 3 calls this weekend, the first was friday night (dwelling fire out of town), the second was a motor vehicle accident Saturday 2:00AM(rollover, no injuries), the third was another MVA Sunday 11:30 PM.

  Tom
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  lovelylil2

  I recently started an outreach ministry to provide encouragement, friendship and spiritual support to elderly people in nursing homes. I go visit, along with a few others and we ask the residents if they would like us to read the bible to them. IF not, we ask what else we can do for them. We read the newspaper, books, their mail to them as well as just sit and listen to their stories of their families and life when they were growing up. This ministry springs out of my genuine love for older people. I also work as a Nurse Assistant in an assisted living facility and have been working with elderly for over 15 years now. This is a segment of society that often gets forgotten by others.

  We do not limit visits to anyone because of their religion. We visit and offer encouragment to everyone no matter what their beliefs are.

  In the next few months I will be expanding and seeking more volunteers to do this. I am very picky about whom I choose to represent this ministry. It doesn't matter what church they attend or denomination but my ministry is stictly non denominational and I do not want any volunteers trying to convert anyone to their church or to christianity in general. The spiritual support is only one help given we are there for anyone who needs encouragment. I make volunteers sign a code of conduct agreeing not to push their beliefs on the elderly.

  We have not been in effect that long but hope to grow this ministry in the future. Right now we visit a local nursing home twice a month.

  In addition to this I also volunteer to give elderly people in my nieghborhood rides to the doctor, free of charge of course, if they need it. And I help out each month at my local food pantry. Lilly