Volunteering

            Volunteering not only helps and benefits one's community but, in a way, it benefits the volunteers themselves. For instance, I believe volunteering makes a person feel worthy, as if they've accomplished something because they made someone else's life better or they made a change in their community somehow. Volunteering also shows that that person is generous, compassionate, and good-hearted, because he/she is kind enough to give up a few hours of their time and put it into their community. It also serves others without expecting to get anything out of their service. I believe that everyone should give back to their community because volunteering will make your community a more comforting and pleasing place to live in.
             Park Terrace at Radisson is where I've been volunteering since March of 2003. Park Terrace was established in 2002, and is a Residential Care Community that includes a memory-impaired neighborhood. As a Residential Care Community, Park Terrace is not allowed to provide medical services. It is not a "nursing home". Park Terrace exists expressly to provide a protected living environment for those adults requiring such care and supervision.
             As a volunteer, my duties were to basically entertain the elderly. For example, I would take them for walks, or play ping pong/pool with them, whichever they preferred. In addition, I would read the newspaper for them if they asked. I would also hold "coffee club" every Sunday at 10:00 A.M. where they got their choice of coffee or tea and some treats to go along with their hot drink. Sometimes, I even gave them manicures. Other times, I would just simply talk to them and they would tell me their life stories, and about when they were younger. It was interesting to hear about their life and how different things were back then.
             I believe that the organization and I are making a clear contribution to the public good because we help take care of people who are unable to 100% care for themselves.