LINK Project -- Amanda Little

I had originally planned to spend a Saturday afternoon working on a blitz build for Habitat for Humanity to collect volunteer hours for this LINK Project. But because of the wet weather we’ve been having, the build has be cancelled and rescheduled twice. So instead, I have pieced together hours from a number of volunteer experiences. During a lock-in with my church group at the end of January, we spent two hours making some improvements to our building. The pictures below are of me and my peers doing some painting and general upkeep. I also spent two hours with my church group at the Brook Stone Estates assisted living community playing games with the residents. We played a game called Left Right Middle and Sequence. The remainder of my volunteer hours came from working the Special Olympics here on campus. I was assigned to work the end of the day, from about one to three, picking up trash in the bleachers and around the stadium.

Working with the Immanuel Lutheran Campus Ministry has opened a lot of doors for me. Through this organization I have been involved with a number of service and volunteer opportunities, met some people who have been helpful resources and gained a lot of perspective. The elderly make up a measurable percent of the disadvantaged population. Most of them expressed their appreciation to us for coming and spending an evening with them. Individuals with disabilities also make up a significant percent of the disadvantaged population. The Special Olympics is an opportunity for them to work toward something and find pride in their accomplishments.

When I was at Brook Stone Estates, the residents taught me two new games and told us stories about their families and youth. I really enjoy talking to my elders and learning about their lives. Even though I had very little interaction with the athletes at the Special Olympics, I know that being part of the event was important. I’ve worked with individuals with disabilities on many prior occasions and always walk away feeling incredibly humbled. They are such great people who have been dealt an unfortunate hand and just need a friendly face to turn to. I spent a good deal of my time during the school year at our church’s student center and I can now feel a sense of pride when I see some of the work I’ve done there. Volunteering is something that I am part of whenever I have the opportunity. Regardless of what kind of service it is, I always walk about with memories and a sense of accomplishment.   



Time Sheet from the Special Olympics.



Painting the floor trim behind the toilet at the ILCM Student Center.

Relay for life (Lisa Rogers)

On April 15-16 I volunteered in part with Alpha Phi Omega at relay for life. It took place up at the Panther Trails and the activities took place from 6pm until 6am. There were food and games as well as prizes to give away. Throughout the night, we were split into groups and walked the trails for about an hour at a time. There was also time to listen to the stories of cancer survivors. The stories were very inspirational . I learned a new level of respect for teh survivors after listening to their personal struggles and overcoming cancer. My best friends mom was diagnosed with cancer and battled it for years. I never really knoew what it was that she went through or what they went through as a family struggling together to get past the disease.
I felt like this could easily relate to what we have learned in class, because after participating I found out how a diagnoses like cancer changes not just the individual, but the entire family. It really is a process and I have nothing but the most respect for those families who endured and overcame that crisis. I enjoyed meeting so many new people at the event and getting a sense of them as an individual and not a diagnoses. Also some of the members of Alpha Phi Omega that I met prior to doing relay for life, I have really been able to connect with. We keep in touch and I am actually inspired to do more voluteer work with them in the future. I honestly never knew that helping families could be as simple as listnening to stories over good food and games and walking to save a life. Services like this really can make a world of difference, especially in a small town like this one. It is a good support system for fellow survivors and individuals currently battling cancer.

STUFF THE BUS - Darius White

For the Project LINK assignment I assisted at the Stuff the Bus; canned food and clothing drive. This event took place Wednesday, April 13, 2011 during the 2011 Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. The goal of the event was to fill a bus with donated food and clothes from students, faculty/staff, and community members. It was extremely wonderful to see so many people give back to others not as fortunate without expecting anything in return.  Along with people giving items, many even offered their time to volunteer on the spot at the event. Not only were we accepting canned food and clothes but facts about hunger and homelessness was also given to people to educate and bring awareness to the issue. Anyone that actually donated something were given a wristband with the words ‘War on Poverty….WINNING’ and placed in a raffle to win a ticket to the University Board Spring Concert.

The items collected will assist any individual in poverty in need of food or clothing. As we know there are a lot of necessities in life, especially for a family that we would consider the “working poor”, and for them to be assisted with food and clothing is a great reliever of stress and financial burdens. Another duty other than collecting all the items and handing out awareness information there was a lot of sorting to do with the canned food and clothing items prior to taking them to their final location. I personally sorted through some of the clothing items trying to separate them from shirts and pants.

I really enjoyed volunteering at this event, and have the opportunity to interact with all the students, faculty/staff, and community members. Prior to the event, I worked with Zuri Thurman on ideas of marketing and innovative ways to get individuals aware of the issue, and for it to be a first time event, it was a success.  The event was co-sponsored by Housing and Dining Services, Student Community Service, and University Board - Cultural Arts. With these organizations coming together, I was able to also work with Rachael Fisher, who is the director of the Students Community Service program. Her vitality, care and enthusiasm for any volunteer efforts made creating this project worthwhile. I have volunteered with different programs under Rachael’s administration and after this successful event; I look forward to future volunteer opportunities.

Heather Sutherland - Volunteering at Charleston Transitional Facility

Introduction
          I chose to volunteer at Charleston Transitional Facility for my volunteer hours. I volunteered on March 17^th from 2pm-7pm. I was under the watch of the supervisor there for the first hour where we went over different information for the clients. For the other 4 hours I was left with the other staff known as DSP’s and the client who live in the home.

2pm-3pm

            For the first hour of my volunteer hours I got a lay of the land at the home at Douglas. The supervisor took me around the house having me help to prepare the guys home for their arrival. This consisted of making sure all of the beds were undone for the ones that tend to go to bed directly after the get home from workshop. We then looked at the menu for the day and got everything out so that dinner was ready to be prepared. Normally they would wait until around 3pm to get their dinner ready but since I was volunteering she let me help get it together early. I helped cook the noodles and prepare the lasagna that was being cooked that night.

3pm-4pm

            During this time of the day I helped one of the staff do transportation. We first had to go to the workshop called Blumenthal where the older clients of the house go during the day. There we picked up 4 clients and brought them home. My job was to help secure the wheelchair into its spot. Once we got back to the house I helped unload the clients from the van and brought them into the house. We then left for the second load of guys where we went up to the Charleston Transitional Facility day program. There we picked up the other 4 guys and brought them home. I stayed in the back of the van with one of the clients and helped secure the two guys in wheelchairs into their spots on the van. We brought them home where I helped get them off the van and bring them into the house.

4pm-5pm

            The clients in the home get medication distributed to them from one of their staffs at 4pm. My job was to bring each of the 8 clients to the medication room when it was their time to get their medication. I asked for a couple of them what kinds of medications they were getting and the staff informed me that some of the medication was for their hearts, vitamins and/or for their behaviors such as for their schizophrenia or bipolar disease.

5pm-6pm

            After medication is distributed to all of the clients dinner is then served. I was to help with passing out the client’s food to each of them. I was even able to help feed one of the clients whom cannot feed themselves.  His food also had to be pureed because he has had previous choking experiences. Once all of the clients were done eating we had to clean up all of the plates and put their clothing protectors into the washing machine to be washed.

6pm-7pm

            After dinner is done if there are any outings for the clients those are done then. I was able to go on an outing with one of the staff member’s and one of the client’s. We went to Wal-mart where we picked up hygiene products. The client was able to be brought with and brought to the different sections of the personal care section and was allowed to pick out his own brand and fragrance of each item that he needed. After he picked everything out we checked out where he handed the cashier the money. We then were done with the outing and went back to the house where we put everything away that we bought.

 

Conclusion

This was definitely related to the disadvantaged families class because all of the individuals that live in the homes of CTF are disadvantaged individuals with mental and physical disabilities. This organization gives the community a chance to work and help with individuals who are not as fortunate and to give them the care that they need and deserve. I had an overall great experience volunteering at the home. It was nice that I was able to help out with the clients and that the staff was very welcoming in giving me some information but not too much to disturb the clients of the home’s privacy.

Alexis Amann-Field of Dreams

 

I volunteered with Field of Dreams to help TLC (The Learning Center) in Humbolt, IL. TLC is an alternative school that serves elementary and high school students who have been expelled from other schools to give them a second chance. The school yard TLC is situated on is very run down and the playground equipment was rusted over and it didn't look like a happy place to play. Field of Dreams was remodeling the baseball field that hadn't been in used in years and also putting in a soccer field. Field of Dreams got EIU's baseball team involved and they donated the bases and helped professionally put in the lines where the bases and mound were to go. 

Working with Field of Dreams relates back to our class because TLC serves youth who are at risk,and after talking to their DARE officer who was the brains behind the whole thing he told me a lot of it had to do with their home life. When we were working some of the classes came over to watch the construction taking place and the majority of the students were elementary age. It was sad because they looked so young and innocent, but at the same time I can understand how you become a product of your living environment. I networked with other professionals because I got to talk to TLC's DARE officer as well as a probation officer for the town who was also volunteering her free time. Networking with them helped me better understand what I want to do after I graduate which is social work or juvenile corrections. It also interesting to hear what kind of client's they serve and the work their job entails. The potential effect that this will have on TLC is that it will hopefully get some of the kid's motivated, give them constructive activities to do which will keep them busy and out of trouble, and it brought the town together because a lot of the volunteers were community residents who helped out in their free time. 

Field of Dreams was more than just restoring an old baseball field for TLC it made me think about my future and what I want to do. Seeing the kids at the school coming out to watch us restore the field really brought what I was doing to life, because even after I graduate the baseball field will still be there. It felt good to know that even though they may not remember all of us who helped, they would have good memories of playing on the baseball and soccer fields after they were completed. Just knowing that we helped make a run down school yard better for the students was a really satisfying feeling.

Me before we got to work

 

All of our awesome volunteers who made this possible

 

 After a long day's work

Project Link Assignment By: Megan Eshleman

I did my project link volunteering hours at a church up in Chicago that provides assistance to the underprivileged.  I did 4 hours in the daycare that the church runs for families who aren’t able to afford other day care.  I did my last hour through the same church volunteering through a program that helps the elderly in the community.  Volunteering through this organization definitely reflected concepts from our class and other classes that I have taken in the past.  In class we learned about the costs of families who live below the poverty line and how they sometimes have to cut out certain expenses to provide basic necessities for their families.  Often time’s daycare is cut, or reduced.  The daycare ran by the church is low cost and takes other form of payments than just money. I thought that was really neat.  I also volunteered an hour for a program that helps the elderly in the community who don’t have cars and aren’t able to get themselves around to run errands.  I was able to assist a woman named Ellie in getting her groceries, going to the post office and even going to Kohls to pick up some new shirts. There are definitely disadvantages that the aging population runs into that others do not. So I thought it was really important to include them in this assignment.  I really enjoyed her company and that was able to assist her in such a simple way that meant a lot to her.  While volunteering there I was able to meet a lot of different congregation members and administrators for the church and network with them.  I’m hoping that I left a good impression on them.  Overall I really enjoyed this assignment and offering my services in places that needed it. After the day I felt accomplished and happy that I was able to help others in need. It was also ironic that I was able to work with children and the elderly as that I can’t decide which direction I want my career to go; Either working with younger children or older adults.  I hope that I am able to continue volunteering in the future. 

Sullivan Senior Center (Megan Walters)

On April 8th, 2011 I was able to spend time at my town's senior center. i was able to take part in the day's events which consisted of breakfast with the low income seniors and bingo, followed by some other games. I was able to see that poverty truly does strike senior citizens. I spoke with a lady I will call "Sally" and through our conversation she revealed to me that she had quit taking her medications because she could no longer afford them. Sally told me that she is 89 years old and is going to die anyway so she decided to buy groceries over buying medication. This is HEART BREAKING to me. Even if she is 89 years old she should have the means to buy her medication! To me there should never be a choice in food or meds for seniors, they have paid their price to society they have worked hard and raised families seniors medications should be free!! While I was there I was also able to speak with the 3 professionals that run the center. They told me that they do so much more than just plan events for the seniors. They are directly involved with helping the seniors navigate Medicare and Medicaid. There is an opening for an Admin. Assistant so I applied and actually interviewed for the position today. The effect of not only that day on the community but daily is that low income seniors are highly dependant on the center, not only for socialization needs but for a place that is free of charged to them that they can be walked through the daunting task of navigating their insurance coverage. My reflections of the day are that the proffesionals in this field are highly underpaid! One staff member told me that "if she could be paid in hugs she would be a millionaire" I think that the senior center is a vital part of my community and I hope they will be able to keep the doors open for years to come for the sake of our communities senior citizens.

Relay for Life

I know I'm about 2 weeks late blogging about this but better now than never! I attended Relay for life on April 15th at the panther trail. I really enjoyed myself. For those who don't know what Relay for Life is..it's basically a program promoting cancer awareness. The logo for the night was "to walk to save a another life". There were many activities that night. There was food, games, raffles, and plenty of walking! I participated in Relay for life with the fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. We took turn walking around the trail, played games, and listened to survivor stories. Even though I was pretty sleepy by the time I left, I'm glad that I participated in it.Definetly a night that I will never forget!
-Michelle Thomas

Shiloh Christian Children's Ranch- Kayla Spencer

In February, 2011, I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Missouri at Shiloh Children's Ranch. This is a home for children who are troubled or have been abused or neglected. This ranch is made up of about five families who take these children in and provide spiritual, emotional, educational, social, and physical care. The children are in homes that contain a father, mother, and about ten to twelve other children. Most of these children are there through the foster care system and stay for at least one year. Some even stay and make Shiloh their permanent home. This was such a wonderful place to experience. The families were all so great and I was able to learn a lot through this experience.

I went to Shiloh with my church, Christian Campus House, here at Eastern. We spent our days there chopping fire wood for the homes, which is their source of heat, and then spent our evening spending time with the families. The work was hard... Until that weekend, I did not know my body could be sore in so many places. But, the work was also fun. I had never used a maul to cut wood before, so this was a new and exciting experience. Our group tries to chop a years worth of firewood for the homes in just that one weekend, so it is constant work throughout the day. Those who are not helping with the chopping make a passing line to get the wood to the storage shed where they stack it. This work requires a whole group of people working together.

In the evenings, I spent some time with the families and was able to learn about some of the children there. These children come from such disadvantaged backgrounds filled with all forms of abuse and neglect. But, with the help of the families at Shiloh, they are working through their problems and learning what a true family is like. The parents were so open and taught me a lot. I gained a whole new understanding and appreciation for couples like the ones there that give up having a "typical" family, and instead, they take in ten children with troubled pasts to love. The families there are so special and giving, and they are helping so many children.

Shiloh Christian Children's Ranch is such a wonderful place. They do so much for the children there by providing them with emotional support, a healthy living environment, and the love and support that comes with being in a family. I loved my experience there and hope to be able to go back in the future.

Relay for Life (Lauren Olson)

On April 15 I volunteered at Relay for life. Relay for life means a lot to me because my mother has had breast cancer and it has recorded two other times. my grandma had ovarian cancer as well. At relay for life I was able to walk around, list to other peoples story and met a ton of different people. Concepts that reflect what we have learned in class are how the families have to change the way they are used or wanted their life to go when someone in their family gets diagnosed with cancer. Something that I have gone through with my family is the consent worry when my mom has her scans, money issues, and when my mom went through treatment it was hard for her physically and emotional. I felt like volunteering at relay for life help me give back to my mom. I walked around to different tables to talk with all the different people. It’s really touching and emotional to see people and hear about their experiences that they themselves have gone or what they went through with their family. I feel like this kind of event has a positive effect on the community. It brings people together who have gone through either some who has cancer or a family. People can take this opportunity to reach out to others or just talk and relate with other people they come into contact with. I was surprised with the amount of money that was raised and the amount of people that showed up to walk. Think that it’s a college town that not many people will donate or walk but it's nice to see the community come out and support.

Shiloh Children's Ranch

I had never picked up a maul before. In fact, I always thought it was called a “hatchet” or an “ax.” At Shiloh Children’s Ranch, they know how to chop wood, and they know the equipment and the proper techniques—very well! “Shiloh,” as the ranch is called, is located just outside Hannibal, Missouri, where five families live—five very large families. Each family may have up to twelve children living in their houses. Not all of the children in each house are their biological children. In fact, most of the children on the ranch are in the foster care program. Shiloh’s mission is to provide a safe, Christian home for children who have been raised in abusive or neglectful homes. The children may only stay at Shiloh for a short period, while some may choose to stay forever. These families all live on one farm, where they provide for many of their own needs by living off the land (crops and livestock). They heat the entire ranch with a great, big furnace that burns wood for fuel—this is where we came in.

            I went to Shiloh with my college church group. We left on a Thursday evening and stayed the long weekend until Sunday afternoon, when we headed back—sore, from a long two days of hard work. All day Friday, we chopped and stacked wood. All day Saturday, we chopped and stacked wood. In the evenings, we visited with the families and played with the kids. I chose to continue sitting at the dinner table with my host parents after dinner to find out more about the kids, their stories and the mission of the ranch.

            By talking with my host parents, I was able to understand the concepts we’ve been learning about in FCS 4840, especially when it comes to basic human needs. Some of these kids come from some rough home lives. For many of the children, Shiloh is a safe and stable place for them. Living with 10 more brothers and sisters in one house may sound crazy, but it’s not so crazy when it’s the only safe place you’ve ever known. It was obvious that love (emotional support) was the greatest missing factor for most of these kids.

The passion that my house parents had for their children (biological or not) was so intense. The contrast of what Shiloh provides for these kids (safe home, loving parents, adequate housing, nutrition and education) compared to what they were getting before arriving at Shiloh is so sharp, yet tender. It’s sharp, because it’s evident. It’s tender, because it must also be a sensitive transition.

            I loved working at Shiloh and observing how these families made such a difference in the lives of these kids. The power of this ministry moves throughout not just through one community, but through the communities that each child comes from and where they return to. It is my hope to continue working with Shiloh in the years to come, especially if it involves chopping wood! I learned a lot about what it means to work hard and to be persistent. Chopping wood is no easy task, but after persisting and watching our wood pile grow, I began to love the work! I’ve wondered if that’s how the host families see the vision of Shiloh. With hard work, persistence and a lot of loving, the success of their efforts becomes rewards. I feel like probably they do. It seems that every moment they invest in their children is successful, but that success didn’t come without a little hard work.

Douglas County Sam's Pantry - Amber Knight

Hello everyone! I chose to volunteer at my local Sam's Pantry in Tuscola, IL.  This was the first time I had ever worked at a Sam's and was pleasantly surprised to see what was provided for individuals in need.  The Sam's Pantry in Tuscola is located in the Methodist church and provides fresh fruits, vegetables, bread, cheese, butter, meats, eggs, many canned foods, baby food, diapers or pull-ups, and personal hygiene products,  I wanted to be able to help my own community and found Sam’s to be a wonderful place! I went with my grandmother on Friday, April 1, 2011 from 8:30 am to 11:00 am. I was eager and willing to do anything and everything, which was a pleasant surprise to the individuals already helping. I was able to meet everyone that worked that day and learn each job before we opened up for business.
I was given the job of helping the individuals in need with selecting the dry and canned foods to take home.  The individuals were able to have choices instead of getting something that may not have been eaten when taken home. I was able to make my own judgement of some items depending of the families needs. I felt so wonderful when my shift was done on April 1st that I decided to go back every Friday, since I had nothing better to do than sit around and watch TV!  Every time I went back, I met new people that volunteered once a month every month.  We had conversations about everything, especially about me moving to Florida on May 15th. I let them know that I would find a place in Jacksonville, FL that provided for individuals in need weather it be a place like Sam's Pantry or a soup kitchen. The feelings I got from this assignment cannot be matched with anything else!

It's a little blurry!

Still blurry!

After taking pictures, the ladies wanted me to get a picture of their Outstanding Service certificate!

Tiffanee Jelks

            I volunteered at a church in Decatur named City of Praise, the church is located in a low poverty stricken area. Many people that attend the church are members of the community that suffer from unemployment and inadequate housing. At the church I offered dance lessons and I tutored children in math and social science. I started volunteering in February, I tutored on Fridays and held dance practices on Saturday from ten o’clock for my junior dance team and eleven to one o’ clock for the teens. I think that my volunteer work served a great purpose in the community. Many of the children’s parents can not afford to put their children in dance schools and they can not find free tutors to dedicate their time. My service provides children with getting involved in their community, it is increases their social skills and it allows them to do something positive with their time. In the class 4840 I learned that time “is a precious commodity to families living in poverty.” The parents of the children feel that it is not enough hours in the day for them to earn extra money so they could provide more for their children. They work hard all day just to provide the basic needs for their children but sometimes it is hard to afford their wants. My service gave them a peace of mind that their children were able to have fun and do want they love without adding them any additional stress. I networked with the pastor and first lady of the church, I learned more about the other programs that they put on for the children. They told me their mission and what they hoped to see change through their influence in the community. I enjoy teaching and dancing so I have a great time doing both. Volunteering at the church gave me a chance to develop relationships with children and to be a mentor to them.

HOPE of East Central Illinois Binga Fundraiser (Erin Holcomb)

As a student , I volunteered at a Binga fundraiser to raise money for HOPE of East Central Illinois.  This fundraiser tapped into the resources of those in the area, by inviting them to play Binga and eat food, while raising money for HOPE.  One thing that stood out to me about the fundraiser was how much money the individuals organizing put into it.  In our class, we have often come back to the concept that time is one of the most valuable commodities for disadvantaged families.  I was struck with how fortunate the recipients of this fundraiser were because they would never have the means or the time to raise money for their own benefit.  Those who need aid the most, often are not able to help themselves. 

While I was at the fundraiser I helped prepare the prizes for the winners of the Binga games.  I networked with one of the women organizing the fundraiser and her husband, and I was able to look at how the Binga games were organized and how they recruited sponsors and donations for the Longaberger baskets they has as prizes.  Through talking with those organizing the fundraiser, I became much more aware of what HOPE of East Central Illinois does and how it can be helped.  I also learned that a Binga fundraiser, if done properly, can be quite successful!  They served Sloppy Joes and tacos-in-a-bag, and sold baked goods such as cookies and brownies that were donated by EIU FCS classes. 

The money raised (thousands of dollars!), will be used for fun summer activities for children who live in the shelter or currently live in abusive homes.  It might be used to put on summer camps, or even to take them to Six Flags.  I think that these benefits for the children outline another key concept learned in out FCS class.  Social aid providers need to think about the emotional wellness of families in need, not just the physical needs they have.  If given enough money, physical needs such as housing and food can be met fairly easily, but the emotional well-being of a child or parent can still be “disadvantaged.”  HOPE provides housing, outreach, prevention, and education to help individuals live non-violent lives.  This organization has a huge impact on the community, through their emergency shelter, transitional living options, and educational website and other programs. 

The greatest take home lesson that I learned from this experience was how much money one can raise with an efficient fundraiser.  The Binga fundraiser had very little clean-up, and if one is able to recruit lots of donations, it can be very successful!  The food supplies were all donated, the prizes were sponsored by businesses and individuals, there is a large demographic of people willing to pat to play Binga and support a good cause.  I enjoyed helping out at the fundraiser, and was very thrilled when I found out that the money would be going to services for children who have been abused.    

        

American Cancer Society's Relay for Life at EIU - Stephanie Gloede

On April 15, 2011 I volunteered at Eastern Illinois University’s Relay for Life.  I was able to help members and staff of Colleges Against Cancer help set up for this big event.  The set up only took a few hours, and the rest of the time I was able to help teams participating in Relay for Life register and prepare for the long night ahead of them. 

 This activity reflected concepts learned in FCS 4840 because having cancer can be a challenging and altering aspect of someone’s life that is very disadvantaging to not only the person who has cancer, but also to the family and friends of that person with cancer.  This entire experience of Relay for Life can bring people together in so many ways.  People that had close family members or friend’s die of cancer, are fighting for cancer, or are even survivors of cancer can come together in the celebration, remembrance, and walk to fight back of every type of cancer. 

I was able to network with a lot of different people that came together for this great cause.   I spent a time helping out the Vice President of Colleges Against Cancer, Michelle Roberts who is today a survivor of cancer.  From her, I gained more understanding of this organization as well as the thousands and thousands of people involved in this program as well as American Cancer Society. 

This organization and activity (Relay for Life) has such a huge effect on the community because it brings so many people together to fight for an ongoing battle of sickness and disadvantage of health.  All across the community people came to this activity, raised money through the community, and promoted the Relay for Life as the act of celebrating, remembering, and fighting back. “More than 3.5 million people participate in this life-changing event, which has raised more than $4 billion to fun the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission to help people stay well and get well, to find cures and to fight back.  Together the community: celebrates the lives of those who’ve battled cancer, remembers loved ones lost to the disease (at Relay, people who’ve walked alongside those battling cancer can grieve and find healing), and fight back to put an end to the disease.” 

Overall, the experience helping out for this organization was very emotional and touching.  I was able to meet some pretty incredible people who have had cancer and fought back, people that still have cancer and are fighting, and people that have lost loved ones to cancer, such as me.  Last year, I lost my cousin to Ovarian Cancer and it was a huge lost for my family.  Over 10 years ago, I lost my Grandpa to Lung Cancer, and all over the world people are losing loved ones to this horrible epidemic of ‘cancers.’  I feel helping out open up my eyes to the hardship and challenges individuals such as Michelle have to go through to continue on living.  A life never seems so precious until we see it slipping away all around us, taken swiftly right in front of our eyes, or feeling the pain it has on everyone around us. Life is a precious gift, and it’s worth fighting for!  

Crisis Pregnancy Center

I had the pleasure of volunteering at the Crisis Pregnancy Center for the LINK assignment :)
First off, I was able to get in touch with a staff member of the Crisis Pregnancy Center located in Charleston. I had an instant connection with this program because I major in Career and Technical Education with a focus in Family and Consumer Sciences. Child Development is a passion of mine and I was excited to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing program that is geared towards bettering the lives of individuals who are struggling with issues related to their pregnancy. Many of the clients of the Crisis Center are struggling with finances and cannot meet the needs to support their children. The center provides counseling and efficient resources to support their clients.

I was able to work with a staff member Jessica who was extremely helpful and humble about her own contributions to the center. She explained to me how they have a large inventory of baby supplies that they sell to their clients at an unbelievably low rate. Products range from diapers to food to clothing! The Crisis Center asked for my help to exchange out all of the winter products with the summer products. I completed my volunteer hours exchanging the winter clothes for summer clothes. It took an extra long time because each tiny little outfit I got my hands on I kept picking it up and saying "Awwww!" (I'm especially a sucker for the itty bitty premie clothes). My entire time spent at center I felt amazing that I was donating my time to such an amazing place that is now near and dear to my heart. I have even scheduled future time slots to volunteer at the center! I'll be taking summer classes in Charleston and I plan to spend many hours working with the Center :)

Meghan Leonard-Teen Reach and Theater Program in Peoria

While volunteering at Teen Reach in Charleston, I was able to help with many different things.  When I first arrived I helped make the snack for the students, and then I helped to serve them.  After snack the children were able to go and have free play.  I then went around and asked the children if they needed any help with homework or finding things on the internet.  After about an hour, the children were asked to join us in the main room for Social Bingo.  During the game I wrote out all the letters and numbers were called so that the children would be able to keep track of their score.  When the game was over it was time for the children to be taken home.  I helped to bring the children to the van and make sure they were all there.  I spent 3 hours at Teen Reach.
During my time at Teen Reach I was able to apply different concepts learned in class to my experience.  From learning about families who are disadvantaged it helped to me understand where some of these children might be coming from.  It also allowed me to know why some of the teens were more aggressive towards their friends.  Also, the class helped me to better relate to the teens, and allowed me to talk with the teens in a way that was comfortable for them.  I believe that as a volunteer I helped those children out.  They were excited to have someone new there to help and talk with.  They kept asking me if I was going to come back and hang out with them again.  This was very touching because I felt like I wasn't really contributing that much to Teen Reach, but obviously having people around is just enough for the teens.
Below are the pictures of me cooking snack and in front of their months news calendar discussing the upcoming events at Teen Reach.

The next volunteer site I went to was a low-income Catholic School in Peoria, IL where I helped the Elementary aged children to put on the play, The Wizard of Oz.  I was able to help keep the children in line and get them ready before going out on stage.  I also helped to move the set around, as well as clean up after the show was over.
During this experience concepts from class helped me to better understand that school is a place where children are able to create and participate in activities that they may not be able to do because of their home lives.  Being able to interact with these children and help them put on a show for their community and school was very rewarding because they were very passionate about making their performance special.
Below is a picture of some of the set moving/cleaning up that I did.  The children also helped in cleaning/moving the set, and were very thankful for my help.