This semester I volunteered for a total of 13 hours with 3 different services. First, I volunteered for Kind Columbus on Thursday, October 4th from 10:00 pm-12:00 am, which totals 3 hours. The organization’s goal is to build the community using the power of unconditional acts of kindness. In this particular service, Feed the Funnel, hundreds of students from Ohio State packed over 100,00 meals for families in need in Ohio. My specific job was to seal the bags of food after they were filled and then checked to make sure that they contained the correct amount of food. I still managed to learn something about myself during this opportunity, about how I feel empowered by helping something bigger than myself. This volunteering opportunity impacted me as a leader because I learned true leadership abilities first hand while interacting with the people that ran this event. Because of service learning I am more aware of the hunger issue in central Ohio.
Second, I volunteered for the Columbus Marathon at water stop #12 on Sunday, October 21st from 7:00 am-12:00 pm, which totals 5 hours. The Columbus Marathon is about helping the Nationwide Children’s hospital, over the course of 7 years the Columbus Marathon has raised $7 million for the Hospital. This volunteering included 3 different helping services. The first was setting up the water station. This included setting up the tables, pouring water into the cups, 3 layers high, and making and pouring the gatorade, 3 layers high as well. Once the race started handing out the water and gatorade to the runners was the main service. On the other hand, when there was a smaller portion of runners were present, keeping the water station clean by picking up the empty cups of water and gatorade was also a duty that needed to be taken care of. Towards the end of the race the clean up process began. Dumping the unused water and gatorade and taking apart the tables were necessary, while still keeping a few tables set up for the last runners to get water or gatorade if needed. During this volunteering opportunity I learned that I value community and its strength on individuals. This volunteer service impacted me as a leader because I stepped out of my comfort zone. I did this by physically putting myself out there and being face to face with the members of the race handing out gatorade instead of in the background. Because of service learning I am need to get out of my box more to help more when serving.
The last place that I volunteered at was during the Dunn Sport and Wellness Scholars program day of service on Saturday, November 17th from 12:00 pm-5:00 pm, totalling 5 hours. I was assigned to volunteer at the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio with Abigail, Rachel, and Josie. The goal of this organization is to reduce the impact of poverty by providing furniture to central Ohio families and individuals struggling with severe life challenges. Once the group of scholars arrived we were separated into two different groups, one to reorganize to create more room in the warehouse and another to disassemble larger pieces of furniture so other volunteers are able to remake it into furniture that is able to fit into the house the organization is furnishing, which was my group. We were then again separated, one group broke dome some pieces of desks, while my group completely deconstructed wardrobes. This opportunity taught me that I am, again, unaware an important issue in the Columbus area. This experience impacted me as a leader by giving me more confidence in myself. Because of service learning I am grateful for all that I have been given in life and am eager to give back.