Volunteering

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by Bebbi

All my life I have admired people who volunteer their time. I think that is the truest way to show that your life’s “cup runneth over”. I used to work full time and part time at a bookstore, when I finally realized I didn’t have to worry about money as much, I gave my notice on my part time job. I figured I could spend the 20 hours giving back and started volunteering instead. I decided I wanted to work one on one with a person and make that sort of impact rather than a more general way of helping others.

Volunteering for me was always with my kids in mind at first. Sports functions, band practice, school stuff and field trips kept me busy. As they got older, I worked because teenagers want all kinds of expensive things and they need more money for college and all that. When I decided to volunteer instead of work my part time job, it was a great decision!

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a top notch organization! I started with BB/BS of Kentuckiana several years ago. I was matched with an awesome girl who was 7 years old named Shiann. She and I went through a lot together. My family and I love her and she will be a part of my life forever. She is 12 now. When she and I met, she was with her mom. Since then she has been at 3 foster homes and one aunt’s house. Without going into too much detail, she has had a lot of challenges. BB/BS is great because they give you free tickets to stuff and we got to be in their brochures. We were interviewed on the news and just loved spending time together. She loves to read so we spent a lot of time at the library. Also, we enjoyed swimming and bicycling.

After Shiann moved away to be adopted (she has since come back in town now), I decided to volunteer in a totally different way. I went through training (40 hours!) to become a hospital advocate for the Women’s Center. I go on hospital runs for domestic violence cases and sexual assaults. My job is to give support and information to women in a very critical time of need. It is very rewarding but also draining at times.

One run I went on recently made me realize how much each little piece of volunteering fits together. I went to the Women’s center to be an advocate for someone who was raped. When she was done with her exam, the victim said she would need clothes. The nurse got out a large bundle of clothes in her size. It was packaged in a very large zip lock bag. It had in it comfortable pants, a nice t-shirt, matching zippered sweatshirt, a pair of cute sandals, a small package of tissues and a little note. I saw how that helped someone in need. It made me cry to watch her read the note and realize it was a church near where I lived that packed up that little care package. I called the church the next day, just to tell them that I was there when the package made it to its recipient and how much it helped. I feel like every time I help, I see small miracles and it really touches me so deeply.

I tell my family and friends, I went from one extreme of volunteering to the other! From taking a bright, bubbly 7 year old to a ball game or a movie and now to going to a hospital in a time of crisis. No matter what I do though, I get a sense of fulfillment out of volunteering. It fulfills a part of me that nothing else can.

Have any of you volunteered? What motivates you to contribute? Do you believe in Random Acts of Kindness?