Volunteering Oct 17, 2010

I want to write about the past two weeks of volunteering. First off, lets go over last week.

What was the most exciting happy volunteering experience was also the most disappointing.

My great friend Adrienne decided to volunteer with me. We planned on meeting before, but she wasn't able to make it. So this time, she texted me at 4:34 right when i was waking up. We met down there almost at the exact same time. She followed me to the lot and luckily there were very few people there.

Getting in we peeled grapes and did fruits. Then started to serve. They put Adrienne on the food line putting food on the trays and made me do coffee. There were a lot of different volunteers there so I had like 2 helpers on coffee that actually took over while i bussed tables.

Everything was going well, however i was getting a bit frustrated. I am uncertain what they want me to do. The new boss is Marcus, who i guess i am not comfortable with yet. Maybe that is what was a little uncomfortable. I didn't seem to get what he was saying, as he speaks very softly and he has some terms for the jobs i'm not sure what they are. Either way, I just don't want to feel as if I'm doing something wrong or should be doing something else. I just want to help.

The part that really got me upset was when Adrienne brought out a cart with the extra food and was going around giving it to people that wanted it. There were a few people, one younger man that stands out, that were almost harassing her. They were asking her name and where she is from. Adrienne is an amazingly open, empathetic, and kind person. She was trying to be friendly, but some of these people were bugging her constantly. I went over and gave her support trying to put myself in between them. They werent outwardly threatening her, however she didn't deserve that kind of harassment. You could see in her eyes that she was startled. We don't need that kind of treatment ever, we are helping on our own free time with nothing but the joy of being appreciated and helping!.

After we volunteered, we went to a place only a block away from the Denver Rescue Mission that serves breakfast. It is a place called SNOOZE. It is so surreal to see this trendy breakfast place no less then 150 feet from a place where people are waiting in line for a small piece of meat and a mis-shapen pancake. All up the street there are places you wouldn't expect there. A jeweler, a night club, a steak house. Reminds me exactly like that Poison song... "a mile away live the rich folk, and i see how they living it up. The poor they eat from hand to mouth while rich drinkin from the golden cup" Just makes me think more and more each day.


Today, I went down there feeling pretty good. When i arrived, there were two people already there. A woman named Kiersten and a guy named Greg. Kiersten was doing this just because she said she had not job at the moment but wanted to help and Greg said his Dog wakes him at 4 every day so might as well help out. Both were very nice. Also met Ruby who was doing this for a class.

I served coffee and FINALLY they moved it to a new location. It was actually my idea as Marcus has gotten more familiar with me and gave me free reign to put it where i wanted. I told him it was a huge bottleneck and that putting it off to the side was best. It worked awesomely and people got through the line much faster.

The breakfast rush went by smoothly and I even heard some of the men talking about The Vikings and there were a few active conversations about the game between the Vikes and the Cowboys. Being a huge Vikings fan I was silently cheering on the Vikings supporters! GO VIKES!

Once breakfast was over I helped fold some forks and left around 730. As i was leaving Marcus came up to me and shook my hand. "we couldn't do this without you" he said and said that when I'm there I am the boss. Not sure what that meant but it felt good.

Driving home I felt really good. I cant wait to see what next week holds.