This event in celebration was a very fun event. Not only was the environment fun and celebratory of Veterans day, but I had a great time making thank you cards and customized hats for the veterans. I am always one to make post about Veterans day but this experience felt good because I could make a more direct impact.
This third day of the week of volunteering was a very tiresome day of volunteering for me. I physically woke up very tired and almost called a quits before showing up! By the grace of God, I got up to volunteering and enjoyed my experience. As you can see from the photos I had a very great group of guys from the NPHC to help me with moving in the Freshmans. It was fun to get whole bunch of laughs and passionate "thank you('s)" from the parents. We did the job efficiently and were actually at times waiting for times to arrive. It was a great time to volunteer and represent the University of Arkansas (and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.).
This was my second day volunteering in the Freshman move-ins of the week. Once again it was a beautiful morning and wonderful day to volunteer. Unlike any of the other days, this volunteer experience flew by very quickly and had far less activity than the other days. I worked this opportunity alongside my line brother of my fraternity and nobody else that I knew prior. Overall, it went well but I wish it was like last year where we also offered or given snacks (alongside water).
Volunteering for freshman move in for this day was quite the adventure. It started off slow but got busy very quickly. Me alongside my fraternity brother and members of another D9 sorority teamed up and aided many freshman families moving in. Time went by slightly slow and it was very tiresome, but to see the smiles on the freshman faces of moving in as a current senior was worth it. Everything ran smoothly in terms of function, but the bus service wasn’t very timely.
The volunteer experience was a very fun and informative experience. In the midst of picking up the trash alongside Garland Avenue (or street), we got multiple compliments from people walking by. Some people said "we see you gentlemen" or "thank you guys for your service". These compliments and the fact that we were seen an applauded made me feel great about it. Not only did it make me feel as I was making an impact on the environment, but also the people around me. Of course, we found many different types of plastics (silverware and straws), but we also found crazy trash like cigarettes and beer cans that should not be a visual on or around the Campus of the University of Arkansas.
Ultimately, the time that I spent tutoring and watching over these kids was amazing. Overall, the task was so fun to me, that it didn't even occur to me that 2 hours had passed. Not only did I feel helpful when helping the kids that needed help at my table, but I also felt good when having "fun time" (making the kids smile). Seeing the kids just reminded me of a younger me, so it was amazing to relive. Though it was a little hassle keeping the kids in order and in their seats, it was definitely a learning experience that gave me so added sympathy for teachers.
Volunteering for the first time at the Food Pantry was very much a fun and humbling experience. Being able to choose all the various types of food for people (as though I was shopping for them), made me feel as though I was directly impacting people's lives. The task was definitely a hassle but was definitely worth it.
Y'all are the best and I'm glad to hear you received some recognition! Thank you for taking the time to help us keep our campus and the surrounding area clean!!