During the long summer months when other students are either working or doing nothing with their time, some kids kindly donate their time by volunteering for organizations around town. Volunteering is when you donate your time to help out an organization or business without pay. Helping out those who are elderly or just giving your time to show you care can really make someone’s day.
In Black River Falls, the opportunities for volunteering in the summer months are very limited, but if you search hard enough you can find a volunteer spot. When you are a volunteer you do not work very many hours, and you generally choose hours that fit around your schedule. Also, when you volunteer you have a huge leg up on others when applying for colleges. Colleges like to accept those students who are well rounded and don’t always think about themselves first.
Volunteering is a good way to display your talents to the community and help out in a field of work that you could possibly see yourself pursuing. Many volunteer opportunities fall in the health care area such as Volunteen, Red Crossand First Responders. Some BRFHS students participate in the Volunteen program at the Black River Falls Memorial Hospital.
Students in the Volunteen program help around the hospital with whoever needs help and do daily tasks around the hospital. Volunteens have an option to either volunteer their time at the hospital or at Pine View Nursing Home.
“We sat at the volunteer desk and helped anyone who needed help,” said junior Olivia Lee.
During Volunteen two voulunteer workers work together from either 8am-12pm or 12pm-4pm.
“We also delivered mail, juice and food to the patients who wanted them,” said Lee.
Along with the experience at the hospital volunteens also get the opportunity to job shadow a person of their choosing at the hospital. This provides the volunteen with experience and new knowledge in different fields in the hospital.
“I job shadowed a nutritionist and a nurse,” said junior Austin Marg. “It really opened my eyes and shed some light on what I want to do with my life.”
The Volunteen program is not the only volunteer opportunity though. The animal shelter is always another place where you can donate your time and help out the animals that are brought there. Also the public library is always looking for people to volunteer their time in the summer to help out with the summer reading program.
Being a volunteer may not seem that glorious because of the lack of pay, but what you gain from helping out others will benefit you in many ways too. People in today’s world just see the prospect of money most the time, but if you just sit back and look at what really matters in life you will see why volunteering is a great way to help out. Ask about other volunteer opportunities in the guidance office with either Mr. Erickson or Mrs. Leadholm.
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sam zacharias • Mar 30, 2010 at 3:54 pm
should we be worrying about getting a job now i mean volunteering is great for colleage applications and i do it myself but now im more worried about work so im able to get my liscene