In an examine to encourage to a greater extent than Reynolds employees to acquire involved inward volunteering in addition to to highlight unopen to of the valuable community service efforts that our employees are already engaged in, the Reynolds LEADS squad lately interviewed several Reynolds employees close their experience every bit volunteers inward the local community. This is the tertiary installment of the "Reynolds Cares" series.
Q: Can you lot depict your volunteer effort(s)? What grouping create you lot serve? What’s their mission? What kinds of things create volunteers create for this group?
BE: I volunteer amongst Post 6364 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. The mission of this grouping is to serve all veterans of unusual wars inward laurels of their sacrifice in addition to commitment in addition to I wish this to live on a legacy to my father’s memory. I accept had the distinct pleasance in addition to chance to serve every bit a volunteer Guardian for a WWII veteran v times on Honor Flight, a i 24-hour interval trip to Washington DC to regard their monument. Other ongoing activities include assisting amongst Bingo at McGuire VA Center, handing our goodies bags to veterans inward the infirmary during the holidays, making cookies for exceptional distribution during the year, an annual wheel chair launder for residents inward local assisted living housing. I besides attend/participate inward parades, exceptional events, fund raisers, Toys for Tots for Marines each Christmas, in addition to yard sales. Sometimes visiting amongst a veteran is the most rewarding fourth dimension of all.
I besides thoroughly taste volunteering amongst Sports Backers RVA. This grouping is dedicated to the mission of making greater Richmond a physically active community. They sponsor events that include families, individuals, in addition to groups. (Also, many events are domestic dog friendly.) Recently helping amongst the lawsuit for local people during the UCI wheel races was an exciting volunteer activity.
Q: How or why did you lot acquire involved inward volunteering?
BE: I moved to Richmond from unopen to other nation in addition to this gave me an chance to larn close the community, run across people, in addition to to constitute a feeling of connection. The flexibility of scheduling my volunteer fourth dimension afforded me liberty to direct activities I similar in addition to am skillful at. It besides helped me handle amongst feeling isolated afterwards the move. I became a lifetime fellow member of Post 6364 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary because my manlike mortal parent was a WWII veteran in addition to had actively served inward the American Legion for 50+ years. He instilled inward me a continuing involvement inward veterans past times allowing me to participate inward activities amongst him.
Q: How long accept you lot been involved? How much fourth dimension create you lot devote to volunteering?
BE: I accept been a fellow member of VFWA for xiv (14) years in addition to accept volunteered amongst Sports Backers 4 (4) years. My fourth dimension fluctuates depending on activities I am involved amongst exactly close 1-2 hours a calendar week in addition to at to the lowest degree 100 hours a twelvemonth is a normal sum of fourth dimension I volunteer.
Q: Do your volunteer efforts touching your chore at Reynolds?
BE: I utilize [the college’s] volunteer operate out to tending at the McGuire VA Medical Center for Stand Down each year. Veterans come upward in addition to have costless clothing, food, haircuts, in addition to counseling. I oft accept chance to recommend Reynolds Community College to veterans in addition to people I come upward inward contact amongst at all events. Once I was able to follow upward amongst an private I met who became a educatee here. Most of my volunteer fourth dimension is during the eve or weekend.
Q: Do you lot accept whatever tips for others who wish to acquire involved?
BE: I would recommend anyone interested inward becoming a volunteer to commencement attend an lawsuit every bit a spectator. You volition acquire caught upward inward the enthusiasm in addition to wish to acquire to a greater extent than involved. It would live on helpful to await for volunteer activities that concur an involvement to you lot every bit a agency to run across a personal need/desire. Maybe you lot wish to run across people, or larn something new. Look for events that volition furnish opportunities that besides tin dismiss run across your schedule.