Spring Break
Volunteers 'cherish' their experiences
JOSH CAGLIANI
Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: Opinions
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Summer is just around the corner, and there are numerous opportunities for volunteer work.
As nice as it is to receive a paycheck, I have never done anything more gratifying than the volunteer work I did last summer.
For two weeks, I was a cabin counselor at a camp for children with Type 1 diabetes. The hours were long and sleep was at a minimum.
While checking blood sugars and counting carbohydrates for the children, I met some amazing people who will be friends forever. Most I would never have met had I not volunteered.
The experience of meeting new people extends beyond the camp. I am not alone in cherishing my experience. Many people with similar experiences want to tell me how much they enjoyed volunteering after hearing of my work with the camp.
The satisfaction was enough to make me return this summer and future summers to come. I even set my summer schedule around the camp's, instead of my other summer commitments.
If you are taking summer classes and staying in Athens, there are plenty of options here in Athens for volunteer work with Athens Area Humane Society, the Athens YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens, numerous summer camps and much more.
The Center for Leadership and Service, a division of Student Affairs, has a list of available volunteer opportunities in the area for students to offer their services.
Whatever your interest, there's a good chance that volunteer work is available in Athens that fits your liking.
Yes, the economy is suffering, and, yes, as a college student, I'm all about making money when I can. So are you, I'll bet.
However, that doesn't mean you can't spend one week or even a few days to volunteer for a good cause. If nothing else, there's time to work for a great cause in between the last week of summer school and the beginning of the fall semester.
Do you doubt the benefits of all this? So did I until I was coaxed into volunteering by a friend. I quickly found myself wishing camp lasted all summer.
Watching children have one worry-free week out of the year, where everyone understood their situation, was enough to make even the strongest person weak in the knees.
That's the kind of experience every student should have. It's one you will never forget.
- Josh Cagliani is a senior from Hampton majoring in magazines.
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