Volunteering
I picked up a new gig. I'm now volunteering at The Heritage Center in addition to teaching yoga there every other week. I had thought about it for quite some time and decided that it was now or never.
What made me decided to volunteer more time?
When I go there to teach yoga, the residents don't want to leave after our session. They like to talk to me and ask me questions about what I do (my work at the prison), my family, what is going on downtown, how I've been feeling. They're lonely and they like interaction with people from the outside (not staff members).
I've come to know several of them and some of them I already knew. There is Harry, who used to be my bus driver when I was little. Harold, who is my brother-in-law's brother. There is Bobbie, who was friends with my mom and dad and whose farm was just 2.5 miles from my family farm.
Saturday was my first day helping some of the residents. I loaded up my laptop and visited with two of them, helping them to write their Christmas letters. It was quite interesting and fun to learn about their lives and what fills there days.
I was right when I surmised that they didn't have a lot of visitors or outside interaction. They talked about going down to eat three times a day then sitting in their apartments most of the time, watching TV or reading. No wonder they like to visit with me when I come and do yoga with them.
I'll be going back on Friday to help them address their cards/envelopes. One of them asked if I could help them write out their bills and insisted that I take some chocolate bars for spending time with him. How sweet!
As I was leaving there were a bunch of ladies having coffee, so I sat and visited with them. I learned one of them was a Ukestad from Montpelier and the other was Doris Rode from Adrian. Again more connections. It's as if the universe is telling me I need to do this.
I can't help but think....I hope that when I'm old and lonely, will someone volunteer and come see me and help me?
What made me decided to volunteer more time?
When I go there to teach yoga, the residents don't want to leave after our session. They like to talk to me and ask me questions about what I do (my work at the prison), my family, what is going on downtown, how I've been feeling. They're lonely and they like interaction with people from the outside (not staff members).
I've come to know several of them and some of them I already knew. There is Harry, who used to be my bus driver when I was little. Harold, who is my brother-in-law's brother. There is Bobbie, who was friends with my mom and dad and whose farm was just 2.5 miles from my family farm.
Saturday was my first day helping some of the residents. I loaded up my laptop and visited with two of them, helping them to write their Christmas letters. It was quite interesting and fun to learn about their lives and what fills there days.
I was right when I surmised that they didn't have a lot of visitors or outside interaction. They talked about going down to eat three times a day then sitting in their apartments most of the time, watching TV or reading. No wonder they like to visit with me when I come and do yoga with them.
I'll be going back on Friday to help them address their cards/envelopes. One of them asked if I could help them write out their bills and insisted that I take some chocolate bars for spending time with him. How sweet!
As I was leaving there were a bunch of ladies having coffee, so I sat and visited with them. I learned one of them was a Ukestad from Montpelier and the other was Doris Rode from Adrian. Again more connections. It's as if the universe is telling me I need to do this.
I can't help but think....I hope that when I'm old and lonely, will someone volunteer and come see me and help me?
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