Volunteering On All Fronts

Mackenzie
Lampton

Youth Forward

Scholarship for
volunteers

12 December 2018

Volunteering
On All Fronts

Volunteering
helps people in many ways. It shows people they are not alone and
have people to help them through difficulties. People who volunteer
take pride in helping others because it is appreciated by many.
Volunteering helps the poor, hungry, elderly, etcetera. Volunteering
can also help the volunteer with mental health, and self confidence.
It gives people a feeling of purpose and can help one stay physically
healthy. It also teaches people valuable job skills.

I
have volunteered a plethora of times in multiple areas. I am in FLA,
Student Council, and 4-H. I have participated in many volunteering
events every year. I participated in Sole Hope through 4-H. Sole Hope
is where people cut old jeans to make shoes to those affected by
jiggers in Africa. In 4-H I participated in Feed My Starving Children
where I packed bags of food for starving children in Africa. During
4-H I have been a camp counselor for ages 3-6. I have been secretary,
vice president, and president in the Mahnomen County 4-H federation.
I taught a small class for a 4-H project day. On a 4-H trip I helped
at a community garden in Wisconsin. In FLA I helped make tie blankets
for the DOVE shelter in White Earth Minnesota. I have also helped
raise money for cancer in FLA by making flyers to hang around the
school. In student council I have helped sign people into a blood
drive and I also donated blood. In school I have also helped with a
courage retreat and during the retreat I helped seventh and eighth
graders be respectful to themselves and others, and to do what they
think is right in situations. I even got kids to participate that
were sitting all by themselves.

The
biggest challenge with volunteering is probably to see what people
face everyday. I have seen pictures of the feet of children who have
jiggers and they have to get them painfully removed. I also see the
struggle of the lack of food and the families that are affected by
that. Being able to see all the problems these people face and being
able to help is my biggest satisfaction. Also, a big satisfaction of
mine is when I am a group leader seeing kids slowly open up and
become comfortable and I feel like I affected their life for the
better.

Throughout
the years I have taken some classes about volunteering and about how
to better my community. We would go into small groups and brainstorm
ways to improve the community. We would also have large group
discussions on how to make that happen. Volunteering has been a great
opportunity. I have got to know many people. I hope that I made a
good influence on them and helped them with their personal skills
because everyone that I have helped has helped me with my own
personal skills and my personal growth. With my volunteering
experience I consider myself committed.