Hi ladies --
Back around Xmas time I did some serious reflecting and realized I wanted to do more with my time that what I had been doing for the past several years. I enjoy my free time (am unemployed and have been since I got married 15 years ago.......husband is retired military) but felt like I wanted to meet some new people and get out and try some new things. Signed up with the local community college -- they offer several non-credit community education programs and were looking for someone to sit in on basic computer classes for seniors as an assistant to the instructor, so that's what I've been doing one day per week for the past several weeks -- and I love it!! And I've learned a few things too, which is kinda neat, since as a volunteer I didn't have to pay for the class! The class only has 2 more sessions and I don't know if they'll ask me to come back for the next session, but I hope so. I also signed up with a local group called RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and they just called me back this week.........I have an appt with our local Meals on Wheels program next week, they need someone to help with data entry. Don't know how that will go until I meet with them next week but I'm thinking I'd be willing to give them one day per week.
I'm just wondering if anyone else out there volunteers in their community and what they're doing as a volunteer? I'm betting some of us gals do some interesting stuff!
I've helped out for years at Paralzyed Veterans of America bass-fishing tournaments but I was ready to move onto something new & different!

[ February 10, 2006, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: CrosstitchQueen ]

crosstitchqueen, I volunteered my life away when I was a SAHM. I had a tremendous desire to be involved with most activities my children were involved with.

I was a homeroom mom, lunch room mom, youth advisor, Sunday school superintendent and Sunday school teacher. I taught parenting classes, started a prayer group for moms, sold hot dogs for the rec council, hosted parties, raised money for teams, schools, church, you name it. I served on the board of our neighborhood association. I chaired the Baltimore Skate Solutions Committee which convinced government officials to provide our youth with three skate parks in our county. The list goes on ad nauseum.

When Mom became ill and was given 6 months to live, I dropped all things volunteer to care for Mom with my Dad and siblings. I'll never regret it.

Since, I am very careful about how I spend my free time. I realized that everything I had done in the past was typically tied to my kids. Now I only volunteer doing what really appeals to me. Maybe I burned out.

So, to make a short story long...the only volunteer work I do now is short term activities for church and my daughter's school. I can't beleive it, but that's all I do.

I am a confirmation sponsor for a ninth grade gal at church and that's about it. My husband is also a confirmand sponsor, plus he visits a young boy at a local orphanage weekly, without fail!

I intend to get invloved with teens at church in my empty nest.

Great topic.

Like Dotsie, I volunteered for everything when my kids were in school. After a while, I said, "Enough already." By the time they left for college, I was delighted to give all that up. It was someone else's turn.

The only thing I kept on doing was helping run an academic competition at the state level, organizing all the volunteers to run the meets. That ended when I got cancer. They had to find someone to take over my job, and I was delighted to let him keep it.

Since then, I've worked in various charitable organizations. I backed away from all of those when my I had to take care of my sick husband last year. Recently I started volunteering at my local hospital one day a week, and I love it.

I work at my church library twice a month, for 4 1/2 hours each time. it is rare that anyone comes in to check out a book, but I get to have some quiet reading time away from my house!
I have joined the Guadalupana Society, which provides food and sets up and cleans up for parish funerals. I've done one so far. It's great working with all those ladies in the kitchen.
I helped out at my kindergartener's school a couple of times this year, but then women's Bible fellowship started.
I will be drving a woman from our church to her kidney dialysis one friday a month (she goes 3 times a week and there's a group of people who take turns). Her treatment is an hour from here and it takes hours. I will incorporate my monthly trip to Walmart and do some other errands in that town.
I spent many years as a crisis pregnancy counselor in the mid 80's to mid 90's.

I am a foster care giver for animals that have been abused, thrown away or are old or crippled, blind whatever....

I also do some cooking and party planning and socializing with the residents in a local nursing home....

I collect items and raise money for a local womens shelter...

I am on the new member drive at church and am a leader on the prayer circle....

Sometimes I just slump in a chair and breathe...

What would this world do w/o women?? We really do keep everything going.

Oh, this is fun reading abouat other aspects of our lives.

Chatty, slump, breathe in, breathe out. You have to do that every now and then! Remember to volunteer for yourself!

Bluebird, I'd love to hear mroe about that crisis pregnancy center...

Jackie, my daughter and I are attending a volunteer meeting at our local hospital next week. She wants to volunteer in the neonatal unit. Just like Dianne's daughter! What are you doing at the hospital?

In my past I've volunteered at a homeless shelter, cooking and serving meals, was an usher at the local theatre, sunday school assistant several years, helped on several Emmaus teams (Christian organ.), worked at a women's crisis pregnancy organ., Stephan's Ministry, and have had a couple of Bible study groups at my house. Of course when my son was growing up, I did all the typical volunteer work such as work in concession stands, organize dances, teacher assistant, etc.

Now, I would like to do something else. I tried fostering a dog, but I travel so much for my job, it just wasn't practical. Since I live alone, I don't have anyone to help when I'm gone. I think that's the thing I would most like to do. I'm sure something will come up, especially since I just put it in writing. God doesn't miss a thing.

Daisygirl

Dotsia,

I work once a week in the waiting room for the families/friends of surgical patients. I take them to be with their "patient" in pre-op and post-op, give lots of direction to the bathroom and the coffee shop and answer any other questions I can. I'm on my feet from the time I get there until I leave, but I love what I do! I wish there had been someone like me at the hospital in Boston where Chuck had surgery last year. I felt like I'd been stranded on a desert island.

Jackie, I can tell by your post how much you like it.

I know exactly what you do. I've met you over and over again in our local hospital. I've been in that outpatient area too many times with Mom, Dad, my sister, and me. Lots of little outpatient surgeries. Those women are very comforting. I like the cookies they serve with the coffee.

Daisy, soemthing will be revealed as soon as you pray about it. Maybe this post will cause you to take the next step.

You were a Stephen Minister? We had them at our church years ago. There's talk of beginning the ministry again.

What a great ministry. You had to go through lots of training for that, didn't you? What was you ministry specialty?