Name: Marissa Webb
From: Lawrence, Kansas
Grade: College Freshman
School: University of Kansas
Votes: 0 
Marissa
Webb
Homelessness, elderly, and handicap volunteering has been something that I have
always enjoyed. I volunteer in many different aspects and several
hours a week. I volunteer about 15 hours a week with a kid that just
melts my heart. My responsibilities are basically just to watch him
while his grandmother is away. I have to feed him and pretty much
just entertain him. My biggest challenge with volunteering period,
not just with Noah is hearing their stories. It’s sad and it makes
me feel sorry and makes me want to help in whatever way I can. I
volunteered at a homeless shelter with a friend in May and listening
to some of those stories made me cry. Just knowing that people
actually go through things like that is sad. I think helping alone
gives me enough satisfaction as a volunteer. Just knowing that I am
contributing towards a better cause and I am helping someone have a
better and more peaceful life. I am always there as an ear and I
comfort them and give them the best advice I can give. I’ve learned
so much but the biggest key yet is everything that glitters isn’t
gold. With that being said I have volunteered at a mansion with nice
cars in the driveway helping kids who have been paralyzed in car
accidents. Some people that do what I did get paid for it and the
thought that I was doing everything free and from the heart.
Listening to those girls’ experiences left something attached to me
that I will never forget. They were once normal and could do anything
I could do and now the thought of her being paralyzed from the
shoulders down. That is something hard to live with. I also learned
that I encourage people to keep pushing. I volunteering with this
elderly lady planting, painting and clean her windows and she told me
she had made me cookies and I could come inside. While I was sitting
at the table she comes in and tells me how I encourage her to keep
pushing day by day and how my smile and energy brings joy and
happiness to her life. That instant moment I teared up. She blessed
me and changed my life in a way she would never know.
Although my career has nothing to do with volunteering I will have a business
minor and create a business strictly for volunteers. I see my
activities as forward looking which is improvement towards the future
because it’s a start and hopefully I can encourage others to
volunteer. I want people to have a more positive view for
volunteering, you don’t have to get paid to help others. I most
definitely believe my volunteering experiences will make a
difference. I feel like you can go to each person I’ve helped and
they will say something positive and life changing.
