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306455 tn?1288862071

Volunteer work

As some of you know, Mary and I do volunteer work for the Obama campaign. I really like doing the data entry for them, and am thinking I'd like to get into some other volunteer work after the campaigning is over. I like the feeling that I'm contributing to a cause. We don't live in a big city, so I don't know if there's a lot of choices. Does anyone else do volunteer work? What do you do? Any thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
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636538 tn?1223529336
I volunteer at soup kitchens and things on holidays especially.  I also am a volunteer diver (cleaning tanks for sea creatures like otters, sea lions, etc.,) and I am a volunteer zoo guide (animal talker) at our city zoo.  As a zoo guide we also take live animals to nursing homes and schools.  Lately I've volunteered to help the Obama campaign locally.
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Avatar universal
I do don't I.......sorry.......:-))~~~~oops......Im old .....give me a break.......hell i still can't spell jakees name right.....I gave up.

dang it !!
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306867 tn?1299249709
She does that a lot. lol
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306455 tn?1288862071
Naughty,   It's me, Magi.  :)
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Avatar universal
Thats funny you metion that Mary, because I just decided that I am going to go back to my Volunteering just the other day.  About 4 years ago I was very heavy into it.  I do toys for tots every year, until it went down hill, and I saw the truth of what really goes down there.  I used to foster animals many years ago.  I worked with Animal Assistance league with adoptions and screenings.....which i was terrible at......:-((  I was better with the animals .....:-))~~~~~I am going to volunteer with the 2nd Harvest food bank, and a local "soup kitchen"......prolly in the next few weeks or so.

I wanted to volunteer with my local hospitals, but I can't stand hospitals .....they just give me the creeps......they have a certain smell to them that makes me very uneasy.....

Look on the internet, Mary......they have to have a local listing for volunteers in your area. If you can't find one......I can dig up the National link for you.......:-))

Nauty.........
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Avatar universal
I have an Adult Boy Scout Leader position for 14 years now. 50% of my Scouts are from single parent (usually mom) homes. I was involved as a youth with my father and got back as an adult with my two sons. But many young men are my friends forever. We have climbed over 12,000ft mountains in Mexico and canoed through Canadian boundary waters where we didnt see another human for three days at a time. Camping in New Mexico we were at times 3 days away from tele-communications to even call for help. You learn to be careful and to be self sufficient when you do that kind of stuff. We took dehydrated food and hit resupply base camps every three days. All we needed we carried on our backs. Learn to travel light!!!  And to use first aid,,,,,and not burn dinner!  Self reliance. And be good at map and compass or food will be five days away ----------
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401786 tn?1309152034
If there are any rest homes, or nursing care centers nearby, I'd suggest a couple of things.  I personally, find it very rewarding to spend time with the elderly or infirm.  There are a couple of things you could do.....One, is to simply spend time with them.  Lots of folks in these places, either have no friends or family, or their friends and family either rarely choose to, or can spend time with them.  The residents are so grateful for companionship.....this can be with one or many residents at a time.  The second idea, is to seek out the activities planner there and showcase a talent....it could be showing off your artwork, singing, playing a game, doing exercises (even in a chair), arts and crafts, or just about anything you could think up.  The staff of these places is almost always welcoming to anyone wanting to volunteer their time in these ways.

I'd like to add, that often, people on the "outside" have the wrong idea about these facilities and their residents.  They are not all depressing places, and there is a lot of agism in our society today, that cuts off the elderly from the rest of the populace, and even more so when they live in homes like these.  People often view these residents' existences as sad and unworthwhile, and this is just not the case...just b/c you, or they would rather be doing something else sometimes, does not mean they can't appreciate what they can do now...They are the same people they used to be, only older...and we'll all be there someday.  They are happy to get up everyday, and have a meal with their favorite friends, and maybe play a game and watch their t.v. show....to have a visit from someone on the "outside" who'd like to spend time with them only enriches their lives all the more.  
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611067 tn?1458591483
I can't do volunteer work right now.  But, I used to go to these homes where parents could bring their children when they felt like abusing them.  The parents were learning how to control their anger and not take it out on the kids.  I would watch the children.  I would leave work and go straight there and stay there until midnight every weekday.  It was a rewarding experience.  I felt like just for a little while those children felt loved and cared for.  They would crave attention and wanted hugs.  Then there were those who were so distant and afraid of me because all adults had hurt them all their lives.  I loved it.

I also volunteered at our local hospital in the maternity ward.  I used to go get the newborns and take them to their mothers and would get to hold them.  Sometimes I would just go in and see if I could bring water or something to family members.  I loved it!!!
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