Pack 143
This past weekend I volunteered for the Boy Scouts’ Pack 143, which was in Dublin, Va, forty five minutes away from Blacksburg. Along with a few other volunteers, we showed the Boy Scouts how to build their rocket and then launched them into the air. Nothing is better than seeing the excitement in their eyes and the astonishment as their own rocket was launched into the air. Building and launching rockets for four hours, it was safe to say that the day was a successful and exhausting day, given the fact that we woke up at seven that day.
After experiencing this event, it made me realize how much I miss being a kid. Back in my youth years, I never did anything like this with my family, for they were never around or had much free time to spend with me. My mom was either working or taking a rest from working, and my sisters were never necessarily interested in the things that I wanted to do. The Boy Scouts were carefree and were really interested in how the rockets work and the physics behind it. One of the things that really struck me was as I was teaching a Boy Scout how to build the rocket he examines the rocket with curiosity, stating, “I have never seen a rocket fly before.” An epiphany popped into my head that this is the reason why I volunteer. I love seeing and making people happy, which in turn makes me happy. When I first signed up for this trip, I was not too thrilled about going because I had to wake up early in the morning on a Saturday, and the event was four hours long. Moreover, only three other volunteers signed up for the event. I had to tell myself that this is not about me, that what I feel and think does not matter; this is about the Boy Scouts having an amazing time that they will remember when they look back to memory years from now, that Virginia Tech students made an impact on their lives whether it is small or big.
I have never been a Boy Scout, but I know that they do a lot of service in the community, and I highly respect them for that. They do so much for those in need at such a young age, which is so relevant because it always starts with the youth. We need to start with them if we want to change the world.
Community service has been a huge part of my life. Back at home, I volunteer at my old middle school, helping out children with tutoring whenever I can because I love giving back to the community. In high school, I chose helping in guidance instead of having an off block or early release because they really needed help. I would hand out passes for students to see their guidance counselors or make copies for the front desk; it’s the small things that count and what really makes people’s day. I also volunteer because it really brings people together. For instance, I volunteered for Micah’s Backpack last Thursday with a few students. When we arrived at the church there were about 40 people helping put food items on bags, ready to help feed students who do not get food on the weekends. We made an assembly line, with bags in our hands. Everyone had smiles on their faces and was having a grand time. One of the guys in charge had a trivia book, which he was using to quiz people for a free t-shirt while we were waiting in line. He made the experience even more memorable and fun. At the end of the night, we packed over two hundred bags for the kids (two thousand pounds of food!), a little more than what we needed for all the students. People donate food items every week for the students in need in the New River Valley. We were there having fun for 5 hours from 8am to 1pm!
After experiencing this event, it made me realize how much I miss being a kid. Back in my youth years, I never did anything like this with my family, for they were never around or had much free time to spend with me. My mom was either working or taking a rest from working, and my sisters were never necessarily interested in the things that I wanted to do. The Boy Scouts were carefree and were really interested in how the rockets work and the physics behind it. One of the things that really struck me was as I was teaching a Boy Scout how to build the rocket he examines the rocket with curiosity, stating, “I have never seen a rocket fly before.” An epiphany popped into my head that this is the reason why I volunteer. I love seeing and making people happy, which in turn makes me happy. When I first signed up for this trip, I was not too thrilled about going because I had to wake up early in the morning on a Saturday, and the event was four hours long. Moreover, only three other volunteers signed up for the event. I had to tell myself that this is not about me, that what I feel and think does not matter; this is about the Boy Scouts having an amazing time that they will remember when they look back to memory years from now, that Virginia Tech students made an impact on their lives whether it is small or big.
I have never been a Boy Scout, but I know that they do a lot of service in the community, and I highly respect them for that. They do so much for those in need at such a young age, which is so relevant because it always starts with the youth. We need to start with them if we want to change the world.
Community service has been a huge part of my life. Back at home, I volunteer at my old middle school, helping out children with tutoring whenever I can because I love giving back to the community. In high school, I chose helping in guidance instead of having an off block or early release because they really needed help. I would hand out passes for students to see their guidance counselors or make copies for the front desk; it’s the small things that count and what really makes people’s day. I also volunteer because it really brings people together. For instance, I volunteered for Micah’s Backpack last Thursday with a few students. When we arrived at the church there were about 40 people helping put food items on bags, ready to help feed students who do not get food on the weekends. We made an assembly line, with bags in our hands. Everyone had smiles on their faces and was having a grand time. One of the guys in charge had a trivia book, which he was using to quiz people for a free t-shirt while we were waiting in line. He made the experience even more memorable and fun. At the end of the night, we packed over two hundred bags for the kids (two thousand pounds of food!), a little more than what we needed for all the students. People donate food items every week for the students in need in the New River Valley. We were there having fun for 5 hours from 8am to 1pm!
St. Francis Dogs
This weekend I volunteered for the St. Francis Service Dogs. We helped make goodie bags for the future owners of the dogs. In the bags there were small plastic bags used to dispose of dog poop, a dog treat, a key chain from St. Francis, and a dog toy. The owner showed us how he trains the dogs and what techniques are necessary in the process of getting a dog to trust you. I volunteered for this organization because I wanted to know more about dogs and how to train them. After this opportunity, I became more informed about how important dogs are and how smart they can be and that they are more than just house pets. Knowing that the trainers do not get paid, I am now aware about supporting non-profit organizations. Before, I did not know how significant they are in our society.
I am thinking about joining a non-profit organization because the trainer was really passionate about what he loves. You can tell this because his face lights up as he tells us about the organization. I think that I will definitely remember about playing with JoJo (the dog) if I were to talk about this event a year from now. She was really energetic and obedient and smart that you cannot forget about her. It makes me realize how much I really miss my dog back at home and that volunteering, in a way, can make you feel at home sometimes. I hope that people will be more informed about the importance of non-profit organizations in the future and that they will care more about supporting these organizations.
This opportunity made me become more aware about the things that are happening in today’s society. There are disabled people who are in need of the dogs’ help and with this organization; they are able to help those in need. I think that is important because it shows that you are doing something that has nothing to do with you and that you are helping someone else in your free time, especially when you are passionate about it. Now, I can start looking at the impact that service has not only on myself, but also on the organization and on the community. We volunteered from 8am to 12pm!
This picture was taken on the bus on our way to organization. From left to right: Tori Smith, Caroline Niehoff, and myself.
I am thinking about joining a non-profit organization because the trainer was really passionate about what he loves. You can tell this because his face lights up as he tells us about the organization. I think that I will definitely remember about playing with JoJo (the dog) if I were to talk about this event a year from now. She was really energetic and obedient and smart that you cannot forget about her. It makes me realize how much I really miss my dog back at home and that volunteering, in a way, can make you feel at home sometimes. I hope that people will be more informed about the importance of non-profit organizations in the future and that they will care more about supporting these organizations.
This opportunity made me become more aware about the things that are happening in today’s society. There are disabled people who are in need of the dogs’ help and with this organization; they are able to help those in need. I think that is important because it shows that you are doing something that has nothing to do with you and that you are helping someone else in your free time, especially when you are passionate about it. Now, I can start looking at the impact that service has not only on myself, but also on the organization and on the community. We volunteered from 8am to 12pm!
This picture was taken on the bus on our way to organization. From left to right: Tori Smith, Caroline Niehoff, and myself.
Feeding America
Recently, I volunteered for Feeding America in Southwest, Virginia. Their mission is to feed Southwest Virginia’s hungry through a network of partners and engage our region in the fight to end hunger. The overall goal of the experience is to store and put away food to transfer to specific buildings all of Virginia to help those who are in need of food. People everywhere donate any unused and unopened canned goods they do not want or need to benefit a great cause. We formed an assembly line where we had people taking food from the donation box and cleaning them out, then giving these goods to the volunteers who then categorize them in specific areas: foods, drinks, snacks, sweets, etc. Then, there are people who will place these goods into boxes.
My role for this experience was to carry the packages made by other volunteers. These packages are then placed in a specific section: drinks, snacks, sweets, etc. to have organization since there are a lot of packages that can be easily misplaced. After a while, I switched roles with the other volunteers. I started sorting out goods, putting them in the specific boxes that are labeled drinks, foods, snacks, etc. I liked that there are multiple roles to do because doing one job can get boring at times especially when you are doing it for a few hours.
This experience has definitely opened my eyes in ways I had not thought of before. Before we did anything, the guy in charge showed us a video of what Feeding America is all about, since none of us had heard of the program before. The video showed us the people who are struggling to put food on the table for their family. It made me realize how much I take the food here at Tech for granted when there are people struggling with hunger. I can continue to have an impact by supporting and spreading awareness about the hunger that exists in Virginia. Not many people know about it, but with the help that I can give people will acknowledge the issue. We volunteered from 1pm to 5pm!
The man below is the enthusiastic leader of the organization. I have never met a more energetic person than this man!
My role for this experience was to carry the packages made by other volunteers. These packages are then placed in a specific section: drinks, snacks, sweets, etc. to have organization since there are a lot of packages that can be easily misplaced. After a while, I switched roles with the other volunteers. I started sorting out goods, putting them in the specific boxes that are labeled drinks, foods, snacks, etc. I liked that there are multiple roles to do because doing one job can get boring at times especially when you are doing it for a few hours.
This experience has definitely opened my eyes in ways I had not thought of before. Before we did anything, the guy in charge showed us a video of what Feeding America is all about, since none of us had heard of the program before. The video showed us the people who are struggling to put food on the table for their family. It made me realize how much I take the food here at Tech for granted when there are people struggling with hunger. I can continue to have an impact by supporting and spreading awareness about the hunger that exists in Virginia. Not many people know about it, but with the help that I can give people will acknowledge the issue. We volunteered from 1pm to 5pm!
The man below is the enthusiastic leader of the organization. I have never met a more energetic person than this man!
Habitat For Humanity
Recently, I volunteered for Habitat For Humanity for a weekend in Charlotte, North Caroline, which is about three hours away from Blacksburg. Habitat For Humanity helps families who are in need of a home build houses for a small price to pay. This eye-opening experience gave me insight in what it is like to build a house from the ground up, especially with the specifics such as roofing, insulation, framing, foundation, plumbing, etc. It was not just we Virginia Tech students who were helping; there were also other volunteers in the area and students from UNC who were there as well. Our role as volunteers was to put the frames on the roof, so that the water does not go into the house. Moreover, we also had the option to put up install the windows and put up drywalls for those who were afraid of heights, but we decided it was best for us to stay on the roof.
This moving and instructive experience made me think about people who do not have homes and have to live outdoors, even in inclement weather. I read online that there are over 500,000 people who do not have a home in the U.S. That is a lot of people living in the streets. The U.S. spends billions of dollars on the military for war efforts, yet we cannot help our own people. It makes me so sad. All of that aid can go to the homeless who will highly benefit from it rather than for an organization that kills people. It was interesting that the future owner of the house was there to help us. This made it more motivating for us to do the best that we can for her soon-to-be home. We also got to know her and her life as we worked on the house.
I learned a lot things this weekend like how to install a roof on a house and how there are the plethora of techniques in order to get it right. I also learned that Habitat For Humanity does not build houses for free; they only help those who are in need get back on their feet for a small price. They eventually have to pay them back. This project was definitely worthwhile because I got to spend it with the best people and had the best time of our lives. At first, I was skeptical and apprehensive about going to the trip, but as we got to know each other, the experience became something that I will never forget. We left Virginia Tech on Frifay at 6pm and got back on Sunday at 2pm!
The amazing people who were on the trip with me are Lisa, Casey, Stefanie, Grant, Katie and Theo!
This moving and instructive experience made me think about people who do not have homes and have to live outdoors, even in inclement weather. I read online that there are over 500,000 people who do not have a home in the U.S. That is a lot of people living in the streets. The U.S. spends billions of dollars on the military for war efforts, yet we cannot help our own people. It makes me so sad. All of that aid can go to the homeless who will highly benefit from it rather than for an organization that kills people. It was interesting that the future owner of the house was there to help us. This made it more motivating for us to do the best that we can for her soon-to-be home. We also got to know her and her life as we worked on the house.
I learned a lot things this weekend like how to install a roof on a house and how there are the plethora of techniques in order to get it right. I also learned that Habitat For Humanity does not build houses for free; they only help those who are in need get back on their feet for a small price. They eventually have to pay them back. This project was definitely worthwhile because I got to spend it with the best people and had the best time of our lives. At first, I was skeptical and apprehensive about going to the trip, but as we got to know each other, the experience became something that I will never forget. We left Virginia Tech on Frifay at 6pm and got back on Sunday at 2pm!
The amazing people who were on the trip with me are Lisa, Casey, Stefanie, Grant, Katie and Theo!