I love to volunteer.
I am a stay at home mom with five kids and this has given me some great opprotunities to volunteer for causes I am passionate about, Girl Scouts, Girls on the Run and spending time in the kids classrooms. Though, I have always had a hard time finding a way for my kids to get in on the wonderful experience. Sure, they do the lemonade stand for Eleanor House and save their pennies for the Gospel Mission but, there was never really anything for us to do as a family for our community. How are we going to contribute as a family???
Then, I saw it! A post on Facebook from Volunteer Kalamazoo for their Family Day of Service that took place on September 11th from 4-7 at the Radisson Hotel downtown. I signed us up immediately.
The kids were beyond thrilled to attend. To help people. To "volunteer".
The event was amazing. From the moment we arrived, with 5 kids in tow aging from 4-10 the Volunteer Kalamazoo community was warm and welcoming. They gave us a list of the activities the kids could do to help others. The kids set off with purpose, they were on a volunteering mission. This was their first volunteering gig and they were serious. We let them chose everything they wanted to do, we organized papers for Girls on the Run and my 10 yr old and I wondered if it would be what came in my coach's box. My 8 yr old son who has sensory issues, went straight to the Outward Bounds booth and began taking apart bikes, soon my 4 yr old joined. They wrote letters to the Police Officers, thanking them for their service to the community. They decorated beautiful cards for kids who are having a rough go at school. Even when my 6 yr old became a, "glitter glue hog", the women just smiled and said that is what it was there for. They thanked the girls and kept remarking on how beautiful their cards were.
Everywhere they went the volunteers went out of their way to make sure these young children were enjoying their service. And I am here to tell you, they were. They made hats and cat toys, they revisited some tables more than once. They took pride in their work. They learned about some great organizations in the area.
There was singing, kids were dancing and there was nachos. I know, now you wish you were there.
Our last stop on our way out was the Gospel Mission where the girls decorated place mats. As the girls drew hearts, smiley faces and the words, "I love you", I had a chance to talk to the woman running the booth (I do apologize, I am terrible at names) and she told me of the children at the Mission, that they make upwards to 780 meals a day. How they are in need of sheets and basic hygiene items.
This gave the girls and I an idea.
When we got home we sent an email to all of our neighbors telling them of need. We put a bin on our front porch for neighbors to drop off items for me to deliver to the Gospel Mission. The kids added more pictures and went through blankets and toys to donate.
So, even though the Family day of Service ended at 7pm on September 11th. For our family, it planted the seeds of volunteer service to our children and we are thrilled to watch it grow.
I am a stay at home mom with five kids and this has given me some great opprotunities to volunteer for causes I am passionate about, Girl Scouts, Girls on the Run and spending time in the kids classrooms. Though, I have always had a hard time finding a way for my kids to get in on the wonderful experience. Sure, they do the lemonade stand for Eleanor House and save their pennies for the Gospel Mission but, there was never really anything for us to do as a family for our community. How are we going to contribute as a family???
Then, I saw it! A post on Facebook from Volunteer Kalamazoo for their Family Day of Service that took place on September 11th from 4-7 at the Radisson Hotel downtown. I signed us up immediately.
The kids were beyond thrilled to attend. To help people. To "volunteer".
The event was amazing. From the moment we arrived, with 5 kids in tow aging from 4-10 the Volunteer Kalamazoo community was warm and welcoming. They gave us a list of the activities the kids could do to help others. The kids set off with purpose, they were on a volunteering mission. This was their first volunteering gig and they were serious. We let them chose everything they wanted to do, we organized papers for Girls on the Run and my 10 yr old and I wondered if it would be what came in my coach's box. My 8 yr old son who has sensory issues, went straight to the Outward Bounds booth and began taking apart bikes, soon my 4 yr old joined. They wrote letters to the Police Officers, thanking them for their service to the community. They decorated beautiful cards for kids who are having a rough go at school. Even when my 6 yr old became a, "glitter glue hog", the women just smiled and said that is what it was there for. They thanked the girls and kept remarking on how beautiful their cards were.
Everywhere they went the volunteers went out of their way to make sure these young children were enjoying their service. And I am here to tell you, they were. They made hats and cat toys, they revisited some tables more than once. They took pride in their work. They learned about some great organizations in the area.
There was singing, kids were dancing and there was nachos. I know, now you wish you were there.
Our last stop on our way out was the Gospel Mission where the girls decorated place mats. As the girls drew hearts, smiley faces and the words, "I love you", I had a chance to talk to the woman running the booth (I do apologize, I am terrible at names) and she told me of the children at the Mission, that they make upwards to 780 meals a day. How they are in need of sheets and basic hygiene items.
This gave the girls and I an idea.
When we got home we sent an email to all of our neighbors telling them of need. We put a bin on our front porch for neighbors to drop off items for me to deliver to the Gospel Mission. The kids added more pictures and went through blankets and toys to donate.
So, even though the Family day of Service ended at 7pm on September 11th. For our family, it planted the seeds of volunteer service to our children and we are thrilled to watch it grow.
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