Good Morning and Happy Tuesday,
Volunteer log:
Today I showed up at 6:47 AM and the beds were almost clear of the floor. It's an interesting fast paced dance of the clients in the morning that feels almost choreographed. Some are picking up the mats / beds off the floor while others grab the pillows. There's no delineation between whose bed is who's and the same applies to the pillows. It all gets packed up into adjacent storage. While this is happening round tables are being rolled out along with the chairs. It's like that Disney movie where the candlesticks and plates dance around singing. It's pretty impressive and it only lasts about 10 minutes.
This morning I jumped right in helping to cook a large flat top of scrambled eggs. The equipment is nice but the kitchen is long and tight so you have to stay close to what your doing so the other volunteers can get around you. It only takes a couple minutes to finish up a large batch of eggs. Today there was also Eggo's, two kinds of eggs, cheesy and regular, link sausages in gravy, potatoes, fruit salad, oatmeal and dry cereals. A lot of options, more than the last couple times, because we had no room in the steam tray for the waffles.
Everything is ready to go when I realised I was the only volunteer there. and there was a line ready to go. I looked at Michael, who I spoke of a couple days ago and who was out in line today and said, "umm, it's only me!?" He was kind enough to yell out into the room that we needed a couple more volunteers! One of the clients came back and signed in to help. The clients can also use the volunteer hours to chip away and their nightly stay, or for needed goods, they had some nice tennis shoes up for grabs for volunteer hours. We opened up for breakfast and I worked all the hot items except for the waffles and refills on the oatmeal. What was nice about today is that there were many options which really allowed me to talk to each and every person that walked up. I learn that one gentleman was blind because he was asking if we had fruit salad while standing in front of the fruit salad.
Homeless and blind, just let that sink in for a minute.
I was able to speak with EJ who runs the kitchen. I hope to get her story soon, as well as so many others.
Just a couple statistics before I sign off for today. The Everett Gospel Mission has roughly 360 volunteers signed up for the program of which I'm told very few do it regularly, or they've gone through orientation but never accept the work offered.
I can tell you personally how much I get out of volunteering. It's really quite easy to do, and we all have the skills to do it. However the best part is connecting with people that honestly want to be connected with. There's a smile for a smile, there's a good morning, there's something very human, something real that's getting lost in society by politics and technology. None of that matters here. In the shelter people need each other again, they need people like you and I.
My day already feels full of accomplishment because of the clients at the Mission.
Until Friday, good thoughts, good actions.
Robert
Volunteer log:
Today I showed up at 6:47 AM and the beds were almost clear of the floor. It's an interesting fast paced dance of the clients in the morning that feels almost choreographed. Some are picking up the mats / beds off the floor while others grab the pillows. There's no delineation between whose bed is who's and the same applies to the pillows. It all gets packed up into adjacent storage. While this is happening round tables are being rolled out along with the chairs. It's like that Disney movie where the candlesticks and plates dance around singing. It's pretty impressive and it only lasts about 10 minutes.
This morning I jumped right in helping to cook a large flat top of scrambled eggs. The equipment is nice but the kitchen is long and tight so you have to stay close to what your doing so the other volunteers can get around you. It only takes a couple minutes to finish up a large batch of eggs. Today there was also Eggo's, two kinds of eggs, cheesy and regular, link sausages in gravy, potatoes, fruit salad, oatmeal and dry cereals. A lot of options, more than the last couple times, because we had no room in the steam tray for the waffles.
Everything is ready to go when I realised I was the only volunteer there. and there was a line ready to go. I looked at Michael, who I spoke of a couple days ago and who was out in line today and said, "umm, it's only me!?" He was kind enough to yell out into the room that we needed a couple more volunteers! One of the clients came back and signed in to help. The clients can also use the volunteer hours to chip away and their nightly stay, or for needed goods, they had some nice tennis shoes up for grabs for volunteer hours. We opened up for breakfast and I worked all the hot items except for the waffles and refills on the oatmeal. What was nice about today is that there were many options which really allowed me to talk to each and every person that walked up. I learn that one gentleman was blind because he was asking if we had fruit salad while standing in front of the fruit salad.
Homeless and blind, just let that sink in for a minute.
I was able to speak with EJ who runs the kitchen. I hope to get her story soon, as well as so many others.
Just a couple statistics before I sign off for today. The Everett Gospel Mission has roughly 360 volunteers signed up for the program of which I'm told very few do it regularly, or they've gone through orientation but never accept the work offered.
I can tell you personally how much I get out of volunteering. It's really quite easy to do, and we all have the skills to do it. However the best part is connecting with people that honestly want to be connected with. There's a smile for a smile, there's a good morning, there's something very human, something real that's getting lost in society by politics and technology. None of that matters here. In the shelter people need each other again, they need people like you and I.
My day already feels full of accomplishment because of the clients at the Mission.
Until Friday, good thoughts, good actions.
Robert
I am enjoying reading about your experience. Thank you for serving our guests and serving the larger community by giving them a window into life @ the mission.
ReplyDelete