Over the summer, I volunteered at Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, Maine. The Brick Store Museum is filled with local artifacts from York County that date back to the 1800’s. People from across the country visit the museum. I had been interested in art history and the idea of working in a museum for quite some time prior to volunteering. I decided to volunteer to gain experience in the field I may want to study. I was able to collaborate with several incredible people and learn more about myself.
My main volunteer activity consisted of scanning and taking photographs of scrapbooks that belonged to the original founders of the museum. I would then upload the photographs online and categorize them. There were very few staff members at the
My first experience at the museum was a good one. I had so much fun even after we were done with the Norton-Simon. Being a business major, I did not know that art could speak to me as it did. It has not influenced me so much as to change my major, but it did open my eyes to a whole new world. Now when I look at art, I do not just see a pretty picture, but what the artist is actually trying to say.
However, most of my volunteer work comes from outside of the school, such as; Pelotonia, Light the Night for leukemia and lymphoma, Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, etc. For many of these organizations I have volunteered more than once. Volunteering at Light the Night has a story. For my 16th Birthday party, I wanted to have my friends and I volunteer for the day while having fun at night. So I had 7 boys and girls, along with me, volunteer for Light the Night, organized by me.
With the help of the Me To We team at Queen Street Public School, I volunteered at a local food bank. The experience was quite educational and fascinating. We encouraged staff and students to donate non-perishable food items for the "We Scare Hunger" campaign. This was definitely a highlight of my grade five year because I felt very humble and warm-hearted by doing a simple act of kindness. In addition, I was chosen to participate in the "Intergenerational" program. This was created so that grade five students can learn more from the elders of the Burton Manor senior home. We had the privilege to learn about their history and interact with them through several educational and fun activities. If accepted, I will indeed join several clubs and teams to contribute my time and talents to make the school an exciting learning
I volunteered for The American Red Cross in various locations within the San Diego area. By volunteering in various locations the site supervisor changed. Fortunately for the majority of the dates I was able to volunteer the same site supervisor was in charge. In addition, by being a volunteer for this organization I had the opportunity to gain knowledge and identify the important purpose for this organization. Before volunteering I had to contact the representative, submit several forms and receive a training.
My interest in plants came through watching and helping my grandmother in her gardens. Last summer, Jacksonville's historic Cummer Gardens needed workers, so I began volunteering there for several hours each week, planting new flowers, removing old ones, mulching, and weeding. My work there has inspired me to volunteer in other public gardens, such as those in libraries and nursing homes, in the future.
Another service that I have done has been to volunteer at the West Campus Hospital gift shop. It was a great experience for me; if I had the time I would make the effort to volunteer again. For people that is good at socializing with others and love organizing I would recommend volunteering at the gift shop.
This past Sunday marked the museum’s tenth birthday -- over 500 children and parents came to the museum to celebrate the occasion. Additionally, the museum has steadily gained more private donors over the past few years and has entered a number of lucrative partnerships, including Burt’s Bees. I believe that community organizations with that much clout and social capital have a responsibility to serve its members in the best way it possibly can. With that being said, I think the museum far exceeds what I would expect from them in terms of the programming and dedication its staff members have towards making Kidzu enriching for the community as a whole -- especially in health
Even though I’m struggling to find time to volunteer because of work and other obligations, I still love to volunteer. There are times when I never see the effect my work has done. I like those moments the most, since they have the most
Volunteering enables a person to develop new skills that he or she would otherwise not have been able to develop. Unlike most other organizations, a charitable organization is happy to give positions to passionate, though inexperienced, individuals who desire to help others and benefit the community. Therefore, an individual with little experience in a field of work can gain meaningful skills that he or she can use in the future. For example, while I volunteered at the hospital this summer, I learned about the daily work lives and professional duties of doctors and nurses. Had I not volunteered, I would not have learned about these things. I was always interested in the medical field, but volunteering at the hospital let me explore my interests and en...
It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life. She' s the kind of person who has thoughtful discussions about which artist she would most want to have her portrait painted by (Sargent), the kind of mother who always has time for her four children, and the kind of community leader who has a seat on the board of every major project to assist Washington' s impoverished citizens. Growing up with such a strong role model, I developed many of her enthusiasms. I not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.
A reflection of my volunteering experience can be summarized in two words: Life-changing. It is hard to explain the feelings that occur when you involve yourself in selfless acts for your community, such as volunteering. There is a feeling in your heart that you cannot ignore, maybe it is the happiness you feel or the overflow of emotions in helping others. In other words, it is a feeling in which you want to share with others. Maybe with a friend, maybe a classmate, maybe a family member, or maybe even a stranger. Either way, spreading how life-changing volunteering can be is a great start to making a positive change in your community by simply by involving others.
...ad. They change opinions and perspectives and cause people to think in ways they normally would not just because of the sheer power of the exhibits around them. They are a necessity in society because it betters and cultures the population, making the world greater as a whole. I am thankful that museums are taking the initiative to becoming more modernized, adding twenty first century touches to the exhibits as well as creating virtual tours. Even though they do not compare to being there in person, it is a step in the right direction. We need museums more than most know, anything they can do to ensure they do not become a thing of the past, they should. I am glad I got to experience this class this semester, it changed my warped views on museums and caused me to appreciate them more. I am thankful to have learned more about myself through these remarkable museums.
At the Science Museum I helped take inventory as well as help prepare for community services such as the Science Nights and Boy Scout and Girl Scout camp-ins. When I was young, I personally had the opportunity to participate in one of the Girl Scout camp-ins they hosted. I remember how the volunteers worked hard cooking our breakfast and helping with the activities. It was very rewarding to be on the giving end instead of the receiving end. The Science Nights, which are free to the public, are a good outreach to the young students in the community. These nights are a way of making education fun and exciting for the children.
The whole museum is very hands-on. They have a lot of kid activities in the exhibits since they have so many field trips and events for children at the museum. Les explains that they try to have a lot of kids activities
I volunteered at East Parkside Nursing Home through my church 's mentoring program. At first, I was somewhat uncomfortable volunteering at a nursing home because my great-grandfather, among many others, was mistreated in a nursing home. But, as the day went on and we engaged in activities with the residents, I eventually calmed down and got into the smooth of things. We had one-on-one contact with the seniors, and we learned about their lives and families. One of the seniors was a veteran who fought in the Vietnam War and he told all of the volunteers a few short war stories. For several residents, their families rarely visited them, so they genuinely appreciated the volunteers spending time with them. Later, we made holiday cards and sang Christmas carols for the senior citizens. They seemed so elated and pleased, which made me feel so fulfilled that I could make someone 's day by doing something so