Volunteering

Yesterday's post has got me thinking about volunteering. I have always wanted to volunteer. It is a part of my value system to want to give. There are so many ways to volunteer, you just have to have time to give and you could choose almost anything.

My first such experience was in high school, when I started to volunteer at Long Lake Animal Hospital in Tampa, FL. At the time, I still harbored dreams of becoming a veterinarian, so this was the perfect opportunity to gain some valuable knowledge and experience. I had a super time. At first, I just followed the veterinarian, Dr. Hong, around as he performed his daily duties. My first actual contribution was to disinfect the exam table after each client. Quickly, I assumed the role of receptionist, going out to greet clients as they arrived and telling them it wouldn't be long and wouldn't they take a seat? I liked to do this. It went well with my smiling personality and I was happy to be useful, since Dr. Hong didn't have to interrupt his work whenever the bell announced someone at the door. When there was an especially busy Saturday, I would spend my time between the reception and the back room where I gave flea baths to cats, dogs and even to Baby the ferret. :o) Eventually, I learned to take stool samples and to check blood samples for parasites with the microscope.

In the end, I never did become a veterinarian because when I got to university, I realized that Physics and Chemistry at that level were not for me, not to mention Organic Chemistry! Since I liked both children and animals, I decided to become a teacher instead. Still, my experience at Long Lake Animal hospital taught me a very good work ethic. I learned to be punctual, professional, courteous and hard-working, all of which have stayed with me ever since.

When I got married and my husband, who moved to Canada from Hungary, needed to learn English so he could find a job, I looked into some volunteering opportunities for him. I thought that helping the Meals on Wheels program would be great for him. He likes history and I thought it would be interesting for him to meet and talk with elderly people. I was in for a big surprise. My husband was shocked that I would consider asking him to volunteer. He wasn't going to do any free work for anybody. The idea made him angry and he was really indignant that he wasn't going to do anything for free. He didn't even consider the benefit of being surrounded by English-speakers and how that would help him. He was too proud to volunteer and he wouldn't let me either. When I thought of something that I would like to do, he told me to ask to be paid for it, otherwise not to waste my time on it. 

'Nuff said about that.

When I left my husband in 2007, volunteering was still on my mind and a part of my values, but as a mother raising three children alone, I didn't have any time to give. Eventually, though, starting in 2008, my husband and I shared custody of the kids and that left me with every second week with nothing much to do at home. I wasn't used to being all alone. So what happened was that I started listening to my old cd's and tapes again. (Mostly cd's - I made the switch from lp's and tapes to cd's at that time - a leap ahead for me, technologically! lol When most people were already on to mp3's...) Next thing I knew, I became aware of more and more of my favorite bands touring and coming to the National Capital Region. I didn't really have money to be going to concerts left and right, despite the fact that I had a lot of time, and eventually it dawned on me that if I volunteered, I might get to see some of my favorite bands perform live for free. That is what lead me to volunteer for BluesFest.

I worked in the BluesFest Outdoor Blues Café in 2008 and 2009 and got to see all the shows for free between shifts. It was a pretty good experience, but I gave it up once I got the kids back after they spend a year in Hungary with their dad. Since then, I have been with them full-time and haven't had the time to give to BluesFest, but I'm not complaining. I'd much rather be with my kids, and BluesFest isn't the sort of festival where my kids can tag along with me on my volunteering shifts.

The Ottawa Folk Festival turned out to be a very good, family-oriented place for me to volunteer. I've been with them for three years now, this summer will be the fourth, and for the past two years the kids have come with me to the festival. I am really happy about this for several reasons: first, because they also get to benefit from hearing the shows. I'm not standing there alone singing along any more, my kids are by my side. It's great. Also, the kids know that I am volunteering (i.e. working for free), so this is a way for me to transmit my values to them. I am VERY happy about that. Thirdly, since the kids seem to enjoy the festival atmosphere and they also seem to think that the things I do as a volunteer are fun (I've been on the Visual Arts and EnviroDish crews), I hope that when they are old enough, they will choose to volunteer as well. That would be a proud day for me. (Like the day we all participated in the City of Gatineau's Spring Cleaning Event.)

In the meantime, I will continue to volunteer and to let the kids know about it. If nothing else, I will be a good role model for them. (Although I truly can't say "if nothing else", since I have reaped so many benefits from volunteering!)