Where do you volunteer?
The National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA and the community of Barstow, CA.
What do you do as a volunteer?
Youth Sports Coach and Helper for Meals on Wheels
What do you get out of volunteering?
The joy of passing on the knowledge I possess in the various sporting events, the smiles on kids’ faces after they have achieved or accomplished something they feel good about, and the pride of helping others.
How did you get started as a volunteer?
My father was actively involved in community activities and was always inviting neighborhood kids to functions that our family was having, because that was the nature of his heart. I eventually branched out on my own and became more involved in volunteer community projects while I was on active duty in the Navy.
What advice would you give someone about volunteering?
First and foremost I would advise that a person do it because their heart is in it. If you are working with kids, you have to exercise extreme patience and be mindful what you say and do around them. It is those early stages where a child’s mind is receptive to their surroundings and will repeat what they have seen or heard. Lastly, do not volunteer if your objective is to sustain a public image or receive kudos.
