Volunteering

Who volunteers ? please share your volunteering duties:

I volunteer for the American Red Cross, I am originally from Derby UK, been in the States 30 years. Used to be a blood donor but cant donate anymore so I volunteer. I register the donors in for donating, sometimes I do hospitality where I servie snacks and water/juice when the people have donated. Sometimes I will go with the mobile unit out to various points, and sometimes I help in the warehouse.
Fridays: I go to the Shelter for women and children where I do food prepping for the dinner (occurs at 4.45pm).

Re: Volunteering

Good for you Bev. When I first retired I did 7 years as a CAB advisor .....until it started to feel like hard work. I also did a bit of gardening for two elderly neighbours.

Re: Volunteering

I'd love to do it but ill health prevents me
We help people here (where I live) where we can though

Re: Volunteering

I help out one morning each week at a nearby Cat's Protection re homing centre. I help with cleaning out the pens and recording the daily 'observations' (basically, what's gone in one end and what's come out the other!).

But most importantly, I make as much fuss of the cats as they want: I'm an official Cat Cuddler!

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Re: Volunteering

I don't do any official volunteering these days, but here most of the neighbours help each other out with varying tasks etc. In the past I have done various voluntary work, including working with serious offenders, you would not believe the training given for that ! Not something I would ever volunteer for again either to be honest. Whilst living in Kenya I was often asked to help out with English lessons at a couple of local schools, I enjoyed that and I also gave talks to older classes on Aids prevention etc. It was something that we had to take training in and keep updated for my work. My previous employers were also very helpful regarding this and would keep me updated with the latest news and leaflets.

Re: Volunteering

May I had a comment?

I work at a charity and we do have volunteers for quite a lot of different things and we are grateful for them giving up their time like this BUT we do quite often get volunteers cancelling without giving us enough notice to arrange an alternative and this causes us and our residents a lot of problems.

Please would those that volunteer remember that having to make new arrangements at very short notice often means rescheduled appointments, often vital appointments and it causes our resident a lot of inconvenience and sometimes pain for longer than was thought originally.

We do sometimes get people failing to turn up and not even letting us know at all, then wondering why they get such animosity when they do turn up.

Think carefully about it all please. stevmk2

Re: Volunteering

I do online Transcribing old Church Records from 1800s upwards for a Internet site .
Also I did a lot of Tea and Coffee with Biscuits serving at Church on Sundays.Milk and Biscuits paid for out of my own pocket.
I enjoy doing voluntary work its giving back something in this world .

Re: Volunteering

I volunteer in a local charity shop. Good fun with many of the customers and the other helpers are cheery ladies too.

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I used to go visiting the sick in hospital with different members of the local Social Club when I was in my 40's, only lonely folks who requested visitors, we never barged in on anyone, I used to enjoy listening to them talking about the old days. Other than that I have never done any voluntary work.

Re: Volunteering

that's a good point you made. We get cancellations like that also, and our coordinator is frantically looking for replacements. I am willingly to fill a shift for someone. I've been doing that lately besides my own shift as people go on holiday, ill etc. I have the time and I have no one to go home too (hubby passed 4 yrs ago), well human! I have 2 dogs waiting for me, they always glad to see me back ! but human contact is what I like meet all sorts of people ! some funny, serious,. I am happy if I can make one person smile !