I am sorry that this post is late. I did not have access to the internet at home and I have been home with sick children since after class on Tuesday. This posting is not due until Monday at 12:00am and only one posting is necessary.
Please share what you did for community day and how it impacted you. What did you do to make you feel proud?
For community day, I went to the Franciscan Health Care Center. Here my group and I picked up garbage on the grounds of the center, washed windows, raked, cleaned off plants inside, and helped the residence get their food for lunch. The environment here was very friendly and everybody was very welcoming. In visiting with the residents, I learned that they really appreciate it when the youth of society comes and visits with them. One of the ladies that we talked to seemed like she could sit there and tell us stories all day. I am definitely proud of myself because this activity really made me step outside my box. It was something I normally wouldn’t do and I made a couple of peoples’ day by just saying hi or sitting listening to one’s stories. Seeing the shape that some of the residents were in was very sad. They looked so helpless. This was the aspect that impacted me the most. I now feel the need to help out people who cannot take care of themselves. Even though we had to do some work, I still had a great time!
ReplyDeleteFor my community day experience i went to an elementary school to hang out and play with younger kids. When we got to the school the kids were full of joy and excitement. Everyone in our group introduced themselves by our name and what our major was. after that they had us volunteers split up and sit with the kids. I ended up sitting next to a 3rd grader that loved to read, so we both read books to each other. As the time passed I could tell she was getting closer with me because she started becoming more outgoing. After we read a couple books we all went outside to play. I thought that this was the best part because Carissa (the girl that I read books with) got to show me all of her gymnastic tricks and dance moves, which she really enjoyed doing. I am very glad that I chose to work at the elementary school because I love kids. This was a great experience for me becuase I love knowning that I can make a child's day better just by listening or reading them a book. It meant a lot to me that Carissa bcame close to me becuase that showed me that I did my job as being a volunteer. This was a great day/experience and I am very happy I chose this as my volunteering. Hopefully if I get some free time I can go their again because I know both the teachers and kids appreciate it so much.
ReplyDeleteKrista York
For community day, my group went to the Franciscan Health Center. When we first got there, a nurse told us some things that we could do. We first picked up around outside and made it look nice. Then some of us washed the windows, while some worked in the garden, pulled weeds, or raked. Then we went inside to wipe off plants and clean more inside windows. After all of that, it was time for all the residents to have lunch. It was a special October Fest lunch and everything was decorated for fall. Once more residents were seated for lunch, we went around to visit with them. Some were talkative and some were more quiet. This one lady told so many stories I don't even know how she thought to even bring some of these stories up. But that's the way elders are sometimes, which is not a bad thing! Once everyone was sitting and ready for lunch, we went around asking their names and going to get their food for them. Everyone is on some kind of diet whether it's regular, mechanical, small portions, or more. We brought the residents their meal. It was fun to visit with them and do something for them even though it was as little as getting their food. I love working with them which is why I'm a CNA. It was a fun day and it made us feel good to be able to help. You could tell that we really brightened up their day by coming in.
ReplyDeleteKristin Sorensen
The activity that I partook in on Community Day was cleaning ditches with the Pre-Med club. Our group has a two mile section that is saved for our group specifically on I-35 that we spent the morning cleaning. The way that this activity impacted me was that I was able to spend the morning with people that I don’t know and I was able to get to know them. Another way that I was impacted was knowing that I was doing my part in making the Duluth area a cleaner and safer environment for the community. Doing community work and having fun while doing it is what makes activities worthwhile. It makes me wishes that there were more days set aside to do community work. Participating in Community Day has definitely inspired me to go out and do more volunteer work on my own.
ReplyDeleteI went to the Franciscan Health Center for community day. At first when we arrived there was some confusion of what we were supposed to do because when we signed up it said that we were going to take residents on a walk and help with lunch, but when we arrived we found out that we had to do some maintenance work instead. We cleaned up cigarette butts, washed windows, raked the grass, pulled weeds, and then went inside and dusted the plants. I was dissapointed that we couldn't hang out with the residents until we were told that we could help with serving lunch. It was hard to communicate with some of the residents because some couldn't hear, couldn't see, or couldn't speak. So it took some skill to figure out what worked to be able to communicate with them. Once we fed them lunch we could eat and then were able to leave. It was a fun experience and also made me appreciate how important it is to work at a nursing home.
ReplyDeleteFor Community Day, I went to an elementary school to play with kids from first to fifth grade right after they had gotten out of school. When we arrived, it was obvious the children were very excited to have visitors and I felt happy to be there. The first thing we did was sit down and read with the kids. I sat there patiently until a little girl named Madeline came up to me with a book much larger than her peers were reading. The book was about how the human body works. I was so impressed by how intrigued she was by this book. It was educational and she loved it. I felt great being a part of this with her. We then went outside and played for a little bit before coming back in to paint pictures. All of the kids were enjoying the volunteers there to help them. It was a great feeling giving back to the community. It impacted me because it made me realize how simple and how fun it can be to help out and give back to the community. Hopefully I will be able to do it again soon!
ReplyDeleteOne thing that made me proud was something I did while the kids were playing outside. Many kids were playing tag and I noticed a shy boy sitting by himself. I asked Madeline what he name was and she said she didn't know. This surprised me because the majority of the kids seemed to know each other. I suggested that Madeline introduce herself and ask him to play. She did and I could tell he was very happy to be included.
Michelle Fischer
For community day my group was responsible for cleaning CSS garden. We start our day by meeting at Mitchell's auditorium, and from there we went to the 3 seperate garden around St. Scholastic. I first started out with raking leaves and bagging them, right in front of the monastary. Next we pull out old flowers and cover the ground with new fresh dirt. After we had done that we had some cookies and drink. It was an amazing time, just being outside and helping out. I had an amazing time with everyone that I interacted with and we overall enjoy doing this for the community. After our snacks we went out to the garden at the main entrance of St. Scholastica. There we pull more old flowers, plus weeds. Once that was done our last destination was the garden for the Monastary entrance. Once that was done, we all ride on the back of our staff truck and had a free ride back to the dorm. It was an amazing experience and I'll definelty do it again.
ReplyDeleteFor community our football team hosted a football clinic for the Duluth East youth footall team. We had them run through parts of practice to make them feel part of the team. We also had them split into groups by their positons and work with them. It was more of a fun time then really serious. The thing that i got most out of it and what made me proud was seeing the smiles on the kid's face as we helped them and had fun with them. They were running around doing things like we were doing it, and was just having a good time. It was something that I was happy to be apart of and made my day knowing those boy's had a good time with us.
ReplyDeleteOn Community Day I volunteered to paint at Life House, a center for homeless and at-risk children. My group & I had to plan ahead of time what we were doing for transportation and the like because our group leader wasn't able to accompany us. One thing that made me feel proud was that I kept in contact with everyone to plan what we would do so no one was left out. We all met up near The Port and waited around until it was time to leave. Two of our group members never showed up, which was sad, but we did gain another! This made me feel proud because a girl I just met a few days ago couldn't find her own group so I asked if she wanted to join ours, even though none of us knew each other. We headed off to Life House & once we got there, we had to figure out the parking situation. After that, we met with some people who run the organization to find out what exactly we were painting. Basically, they gave us the supplies (a few ladders, paint brushes & rollers, lots of paint & painters tape) and told us what we were going to paint. Then we got started. It may not seem like a big deal, but what made me feel proud is that I've never really painted anything for anyone (aside from a sloppy job on a garage once) so this was a really new experience for me, especially working with people I didn't know. We all had to work together to get everything done. Since I was the tallest one there, I put up the painters tape on the ceilings of the 3 bathrooms I helped paint. There were complications, such as the bathrooms having timed lights in them (try having them turn off when you're up on a ladder!) or the concentrated smell of paint, but it went really well overall. The last bathroom we painted went really quickly because instead of splitting into the groups we had previously been in, most of us teamed up to get it done. I stood on the floor while everyone was up on ladders or sinks & the like so I could refill their paint brushes & rollers (it went more quickly than if they would have had to climb down). If they dripped paint, I wiped it up when they let me know. It was a really interesting experience & although I got paint all over my new CSS sweatshirt, it will remind me of the wonderful time I had. The workers were really grateful & I hope that the kids like it as well (they were all in school at the time)! It really impacted me because we were all fairly different, but we all worked together for a common cause. Also, the fact that Duluth even has such a center really struck me; I'm sad that it's necessary, but happy because it can really make a difference in a child's life. I hope to do more for this community in the time I spend here!
ReplyDeleteFor community day I went to a place just outside of superior to haul lumber and made walking paths. There were over one hundred and thirty people participating in this community day activity. The lumber was used to help makes paths and a bridge for people to use. The biggest thing I got out of it was seeing so many people carrying soo much material, but at the same time no one complained or had a problem with it. We all knew it was for the good of the cause. We probably walked four miles altogether and we got down and dirty in the muddy woods. It made me feel proud that I was getting dirty and making the paths so one day families and animals could walk on our trails without having to worry about finding their way back or getting dirty like me. As a whole, I think we all enjoyed ourselves. It was quite a bit of time but I wouldn't have changed a thing. I even met some great people out of it.
ReplyDeleteJosh Kellner
For community day I was originally supposed to go to a nursing home and play games/visit with the senior citizens. But, knowing my luck, I could not find my group after the sendoff in Mitchell Auditorium. So I joined in with another group that headed to Glensheen Mansion to do yard work. After we all showed up, we split into groups of 5 and scattered the grounds to either cut corn, pull weeds, or rake leaves. I was part of the raking group. I felt great by helping the grounds crew because I found out after an hour into raking, the grounds crew has only 3 people on duty. They work all year round and by all the work I saw to do, I have no clue how they can all handle it all. So I felt proud to be able to help them out termondously. Gave me a special meaning to be there and to see the huge smiles on their faces when us freshman did a whole day's work in 2.5 hours. What I did to make me feel proud was after 2ish hours, other students stopped working and left to sit by the beach and chat. I hated it and felt sick to my stomach. We were supposed to be working til we were finished. I guess they didn't get the memo. Katelyn and I kept raking, throwing leaf piles in black garbage bags, and tossing them in a big to be hauled away. The UMD student worker and older lady that were apart of the grounds crew was so pleased with us two that they could not stop thanking us. I could tell and feel that we made their day and how proud they were of us two. I felt great that I helped beyond others and it didn't cause me any pain or money. It was just me being a respectful citizen of Duluth.
ReplyDeleteFor Community Day, the girls soccer team, and a number of other athletic teams; such as women's hockey, cross country, track, men and woman's basketball, volunteered at the Superior hiking trail. We all meet in front of the wellness center that morning at 8:50. All the different teams made sure everyone was there and had a ride. When we got to the Hiking Trail we had to carry 2 by 8 pieces of wood through the trail. It was really scary walking through the trail because the trail wasn’t really a trail. The trail had big rocks and branches every where, therefore it was really dangerous. The trail was also muddy so when you and a partner where carrying the wood, one person would keep going and push or pull the other into mud. This activity took a lot of communication, trust, hard work, and strength to accomplish our task at hand. Even though this volunteer work was very hard work it was also a lot of fun. I am very proud of how my partner and I worked together, and how we made each have a good day. I also thought it was really cool that because we carried the wood into the woods it will be used for bridges to make the trail safer for everyone. It makes me proud to know that if someone goes for a walk or run they wont get hurt and can have a more enjoyable experience.
ReplyDeleteMaggie Dolan
For community day I stayed on campus and helped out with the buck throne here on campus. There were about 30 to 35 students helping out along with 5 or 6 teachers. The pull was up behind the cemetery and went from 11 till about 1. The biggest thing i think i got out of it was just the fact that i was helping the community and giving back to our campus especially. We were all provided heavy duty gloves and some were given a saw, clippers, or a an axe ha. I got a saw which was legit cause cutting down trees was pretty sweet. When we first got into the woods you couldnt really see much, but once we started working there was like nothing left ha. It made me proud because we had a huge pile full of buck throne that was taken out in such little time. Overall it was a really good day for because i learned what buck throne was and i helped my community, i plan on helping out with the buck throne pull next year too!
ReplyDeleteJake Turkowski
For Community Day my group went to Fransiscan Health Center. We arrived ready to take residents on walks, visit, and serve them lunch. However, when we got there we were told we would be cleaning the grounds. So we spent the morning cleaning cigarette butts, rappers, and other garbage off the ground. We also cleaned windows(inside and outside), raked the lawn, pulled weeds, and cleaned plants inside. Then after making the property spotless, it was time for lunch and we had a chance to visit some of the residents. It was Octoberfest so there was a big buffet. Many residents have a specially designed lunch because they cant handle whole foods or certain kinds of foods. Everything went great and we had a good time. The residents who were vocal with us, like Rose, who Kristin referenced, told many stories and loved the attention. Others just knid of sat and stared trying to figure out why we were there. It just makes you appreciate what we have now and the young bodies that allow us to do so many things. Sadly, as we age we do lose that and at the age some of them were they would never get to experience going on a morning run, or driving to see family, or even doing work. They are confined to that building and that is all they have. It opens your eyes to see what you have and really appreciate and cherish your free mobility.
ReplyDeleteFor Community Day I went to Damiano Clothing Exchange and helped around everywhere I could. I took empty hangers off of the racks, picked up clothes that had fallen, straightened out items on the shelves and put new donations on hangers to go out. The thing that impacted me the most was how much needed to be done around there and how short-handed they would have been without us there. I honestly can't say it made me feel proud though, the only reason I volunteered was because I was told to.
ReplyDeleteCoyer Mackner
For community day I went to the Franciscan Health Center. Once we first arrived we were told that we were going to be doing maintenance work which kind of disappointed me because I thought that we were going to be working with the residents and talking with them and helping them with lunch, but we just had to deal with what we were given. So we started our day off with cleaning the garbage outside the facility, and as some people did that others washed the windows, did some gardening work. After the outside work was completed we went inside and we did some more window washing and dusting of the plants. As of then our day was not going as planned but by still helping around I knew it was a good thing and they really appreciate it. Once lunch came we got the opportunity to actually talk with the residents and help them with things which made me excited because we are finally getting to do what we signed up for. It was very nice talking to the residents waiting for lunch because they had so much to talk about for them to have someone to listen to they loved and that just made me happy. Both the staff and residents enjoyed having us around for the day and they said that they love volunteers and we are welcome to come back and volunteer any time. I enjoyed my day of community day and I know the residents and staff of the Franciscan Health Center enjoyed our company as well.
ReplyDeleteNikki Darker
For community day I went to the Courage Center and helped with hauling docks out of the water, moving boats, cleaning storage sheds, and basically preparing the area for winter. This was a very good experience because we all had to work together to take the docks out of the water. One of the docks took 20 people to carry it to a certain spot once we got it out of the water! Volunteering on community day made me feel proud because I got to help out without getting anything in return. This just makes me feel accomplished and it helps out others in the process!
ReplyDeleteTia Lindberg
For community day I went along with the track team. We went to a site on a hill/mountainside and hauled two-by-fours from one end to the other for a boardwalk being made. The process took a couple of hours and was beneficial because we had a lot of teamwork hauling the wood; we had an assembly line going at one point! After that, a lady in charge of building a handicap trail about 20 minutes away asked if some of the students would come help her for awhile. The coach, Kirk, said the track team would. So we went there and hauled buckets and wheelbarrow's of sand to start putting down the trail. We did that for an hour. All in all, i'm proud because me and my team went beyond and above what we were expected to do and helped out a good cause! :)
ReplyDeleteFor my community day I went with my basketball team to spirit mountain, and we hauled two-by-fours up and down a 4 mile trail. allot of teams from scholastica were there and it went very fast. It impacted me in a weird way because I enjoyed the fact that nobody was complaining about how hard the work was and how dirty we all got. I enjoyed every second of it, and the scenery was beautiful!
ReplyDeleteFor community day, I chose to go to Chester Bowl and paint the bridge and gazebo/deck. It was probably one of the best days to volunteer, especially in Chester. The weather was perfect and the park was beautiful. We began painting under the bridge. It had been covered in graffiti by, as Dale our leader explained, a few local people that do most of the spray painting around the area. After covering most of what was on the bridge, we walked over the gazebo and began painting there. The benches and floor boards all needed a fresh coat since it had been about five years since the last time it was painted. There were about twelve people in our group so the work went faster than expected and there weren't enough paint brushes for everyone to paint at the same time. While some painted others picked up garbage or swept/raked the leaves away. By the time we were done it looked great and everyone was proud of their work. I couldn't imagine having spent my day any other way, it was perfect weather in which I was able to be outside and enjoy and it really made me appreciate the people that help maintain these local parks. I couldn't imagine if Chester was never there and it was just houses, Duluth would definitely be missing out on a special piece of nature. It also made me appreciate being able to have such an accessible place to escape to and get some exercise and fresh air. I'm proud of myself for helping out with the painting something that would've taken Dale a few days on his own and we finished in a couple of hours, especially since Dale has knee problems so it felt even better to help him.
ReplyDelete