Community Action Partnership

On June 12, 2010 I went(along with my mom) to an event that was hosted by Community Action Partnership. At this warehouse location we met with a small group and were assigned our task of packaging food into boxes. These boxes of food would eventually be given to families in need of food to survive. We all worked on keeping our spirits high and having fun meeting new people we completed our task with ease. Throughout the 2 hours that we were there, we packed 1200 boxes of food that would be given to families who were in desperate need of this food. This event was so much fun because I got to meet so many new people and have a great time while helping people that needed our assistance. I would definitely encourage anyone who wants to get involved in volunteering to start with an event like a food bank because it is simple and fun, but also rewarding because you can somewhat see the effects of your work when you're finished for the day.

CSUF Special Games

For my next project, I volunteered at the Cal State Fullerton Special Games on May 7, 2010. This volunteer activity is one that I have been doing throughout my entire life and it is an event that I look forward to every year. This event was created by 4 college students as a class project and it is a track and field event that is created for people with disabilities. This event is different than the one put on by the Special Olympics organization because the athletes don't have to be high-functioning in order to participate in this fun-filled day. All levels of functionality are accepted in order to create a welcoming environment throughout the day. This experience annually reminds me of how important it is to remind people with disabilities that they are still valued members of society. It also shows me that it is very simple to help others and create a day of memories that they will never forget. I love playing games with the kids that come to the event because I get to see the smiles on everyone's faces, including the volunteers, because it is easy to see how rewarding this experience is for all of the people involved.