Fiery Giving Tree

Quick volunteer opportunity with beautifying effects: beach cleanup!

I volunteered at a beach cleanup, with my partner, that was part of a worldwide effort to remove garbage from coastal areas and roadsides. The event was only two hours long and involved a variety of people: high school students, families with young kids, and others requiring community services hours on a beautiful beach, in the cooler morning hours.

I picked my favorite beach and the one I’d previously done a beach cleanup on (in high school), for the event. As soon as I was there, I’d rather wished I’d picked a beach more in need. We were at Pass-A-Grille which is a truly lovely beach and one frequented probably as much by locals as by tourists. We had to hunt for trash, which is a wonderful thing, but I am the type of person who waits for things to get really messy before I clean, so I can see an immediate impact. So, there was no immediate visual impact on this beach but I know that hundreds of cigarette butts were removed.

The main trash culprits were smoking paraphernalia: cigarette butts, cigar butts, plastic smoking “tips” and then plastic everything else. I would sift through seaweed picking out little pieces of plastic from beach toys (my guess), straws, bottle-caps, a few fishing lures, etc. [This is me not ranting about plastic but just know I don't like it.] At one point, one of the children on the cleanup yelled out ‘Jackpot!…plastic bottle!’ Again, it was a tribute to how clean the beach was that this small item constituted his ‘jackpot’, but I also appreciated his excitement about the cleanup effort. To be honest, I was a bit jealous to not get to find anything so big…until we reached the end of the beach where there is a fishing pier.

At those breakwaters, it was a cleanup field day as trash must collect there from other local beaches after riding the currents and perhaps some of the pier users also leave donations. Here we picked up larger items, like beer cans, plastic (*grr*) drinking cups, various wrappers and finally, my jackpot: half a tire. When I saw it I was like ‘YES!’ for surely I’d found the biggest trash items (not that it was a competition but goals keep you going) and yelled “Jackpot!” to my partner. He acknowledged my jackpot and raised me the other half of the tire, found further up the rocks (mine was still bigger). It was a chore to drag them back down the beach but it was great knowing that trash was removed from this lovely beach.

This event was promoted by my county: Pinellas, but it is an event easily replicated on any day. My partner and I actually recently did an impromptu cleanup at Fort Desoto Beach because there was such a need. There may not be anyone who thanks you at the end of the day when you do your own cleanup but you will definitely feel the satisfaction of knowing that the beach or land was made better, not worst, by your presence.

Our booty:

Benefits of volunteering in a land cleanup -

• Virtually no training necessary, the ability to bend helpful
• Cleanups with others generally on the weekend or you can perform the action on your own whenever!
• Solitary work is an option
• Make a positive impact on the environment!

Who you’ll be working with - 

• High school kids
• Families
• Those doing community service (range of ages)
• Variety of others

Level of commitment necessary – (ranges by location)

• Few hours of your time, no long-term commitment required

   What small actions have you taken recently with positive results?

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So it has been about four months (*gasp*) since my last post and while I’ve been keeping busy with a few activities to benefit others, I haven’t been specifically volunteering with an organization. Luckily (for me), I started working with The Salvation Army in one of their kitchens and have something to write about!

In one of my first posts, I mentioned how I really wanted to volunteer with a soup kitchen but the agency I called didn’t have availability. Recently, VolunteerMatch.org listed such a position at The Salvation Army. My mom had also been interested in working with a soup kitchen so together we went through a (thorough!) orientation process and set off to our first opportunity!

My memory of the soup kitchen from my teen experience was it being chaotic and perhaps a tiny bit grimy, so I was uncertain what to expect. What I found is a head chef running a flawless ship. I’m often begging for something to do because he is so darn efficient. At times we’ve had to wrestle cans away from him so we can open them. (He’s kind and let’s us win.) Our jobs have primarily been simple tasks: getting drinks together, cutting cake for dessert, sweeping, taking tickets from those coming through the line, rinsing dishes, cleaning off tables, and other odds and ends available. Thus, the activities in this well run kitchen have taken a back stage to the people who keep it going.

The people you meet are definitely one of the best benefits of volunteering. It is probably a bit idealist to say but I think volunteering brings an opportunity to be your “best self” and many take that. You can walk into a situation where no one knows you, with no long-term commitments, nor paycheck, and you are there because you choose to be, so you are in charge of making the most out of that experience. I see people stressed out in their daily life go to their volunteer opportunity and find peace there. They are still working, giving their personal time each week and yet it creates a space for them of their choosing. To boot, those you help are so grateful for your assistance that you can’t help but to walk away feeling good about the experience.

We have been working with a regular who has one of the most positive attitudes of anyone I’ve met. He is joyful to be there and quick to dole out praise for your presence and assistance. I am impressed each time how he and the head chef connect with the various people coming through the line. They know the ones who are diabetic or have other food restrictions and take care of them. The head chef has a great personality and keeps an eye out for us and the tasks he gives. The kitchen is definitely run by caring people.

In return, gratitude is given by those coming through the line. They thank us for our service and engage us in snippets of conversation. I think I will forever have the sound of the laughter of one of the people from the line. It is such a joyful sound accompanying her smile. Other faces, especially the children, are sure to be images I will remember in later years.

Volunteering with my mom has also been a fun opportunity to connect with her in another way. I see her interacting with people coming through the line, making quick connections with those she is assisting, and smiling the entire time. It is a new way for us to spend time together doing things we love: her feeding people, me serving people. It is nice as we leave to reflect on the experience and share our thoughts.

It feels like we do not give much (the work is not tiring) but our presence helps. It is proof that taking such small actions can make a difference.

Benefits of volunteering at a soup kitchen -

• Virtually no training necessary, if you can feed yourself, you probably have the skills already
• Weekend hours available
• Solitary work is possible
• Opportunity to connect with many grateful people in a short amount of time

Who you’ll be working with – (definitely will range by location)

• Varies
• May see various community groups getting involved
• Those doing community service (range of ages)

Level of commitment necessary – (ranges by location)

• My organization required no commitment

   What makes you act your ‘best self’?

Image: Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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This volunteer activity was a Cabin Volunteer at a Bereavement Camp for children. It was a weekend commitment and provided the greatest gift of being able to view transformations in the attendees.

2011 actually marks my 15th time volunteering at a bereavement camp. I have been involved with two different camps over the last eight years. Each camp has affected me differently and provided some of the most wonderful and challenging moments. It is tough but good work to be a witness to the children’s stories and lend a shoulder to cry on when needed.

Each year I sign to not divulge details of the camp but the details on the Moyer Foundation: Camp Erin website provides the framework of the weekend:

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My weekend generally begins at sign-in. I typically ride the bus down so instead of meeting the kids as they get off the bus, I get to see them as they first arrive and are dropped off. The campers are generally filled with mixed emotions: anxiety, excitement and some grief over being separated from their loved one. Bus riders get to meet the children early and try to relieve them of some of their anxiety and get them excited about the weekend ahead. We also get to do crowd control, on the bus, as sometimes they are the little bundles of energy I’ve noted before and the excitement and stress of the upcoming weekend leads them to expressing those emotions verbally or physically, unable to sit still. We make it successfully to camp each year though and even on the bus, the children start to bond with their other campers.

Once off the bus, the campers are greeted by their camp counselors and the other cabin volunteers. The camp counselors definitely deserve praise, they are all incredibly capable of putting the children at ease and making them comfortable with sharing their story. While the counselors provide a safe structure, it is their fellow campers who fill in the details and play a large role in creating an environment they are comfortable in. The campers quickly realize they are not alone and are surrounded by others who have had a similar experience in losing a love one. This acknowledgement leads to strong bonds among the children and soon they are pairing up, or even as an entire cabin, claiming each other as life-long friends and supporters. This year has reminded me that some children can be very cruel but that is not an emotion generally seen at camp. While the campers may not always be perfect angels, amongst themselves, they are comrades and are more often in roles of supporting and encouraging their other cabin-mates, not tearing them down. Many bond, in fact, over their shared pain in being treated poorly by those who have not had this experience or feel threatened by it. Over the weekend they share more of themselves, their history, and continue to strengthen their bonds amongst themselves.

As a Cabin Volunteer, my role for the weekend is another member of the support team: listening to their stories and letting them know the weekend is about them. Depending on the age of the campers (and perhaps my age), this has provided me with many new buddies, a new shadow, and someone who probably thought I was “mean”. The disciplinarian role is not my favorite but the boundaries do keep them safe, even if they refuse to understand why they can’t run wild and wander where ever they please. I generally prefer to be a friend though, trading “silly bandz”, as I hear more about them. Regardless of the role, I know my presence is important and aids in the incredible experience of the camp.

Over the years, the memories of camp become various snippets and something will trigger a memory of what a camper told me or something I experienced at camp. I know I can never see a blue jay without the words of one of my campers coming to mind. In the years ahead, I expect I will remember this year with my nature walk, on my break (breaks are important!), where I saw hawks circling and saw a large lizard scurrying about as I tried to collect my thoughts after a particular heavy discussion amongst my cabin. The camp is definitely challenging. It is hard to hear a child express the pain of loss or poor treatment by others. It puts me in guardian mode, wishing I had the super powers that would allow them to be without pain. Their effort of verbalizing this hurt is a step to their healing though so being an audience member allows an active role (even if it cannot be an immediate *zap* that relieves them of all pain.)

It is thus perhaps a mixed blessing that your connection with the campers end on the last day. I often wonder how they are but I feel confident that camp has benefited them and I am honored to play a role in it. I often hear people say they don’t think they could volunteer at a Bereavement Camp. Perhaps that is true for some but I believe if you are compassionate and care about children, you could do it. Yes, it is challenging, your heart may break a little, your own grief may surface, and tears may fall, but there is a transformation. You will be changed and so will the children, for the better. It is an unforgettable experience.

Edit ~
It occurred to me after I published this that it may not be obvious how to get involved in a Bereavement Camp. Certainly, the link to Camp Erin website will show where they hold camps across the country. If there is not one nearby, check with your local Hospice  (at times there are multiple in an area). Scan their website for notices about a Bereavement Camp or give them a call!

Benefits of volunteering at a Bereavement camp -

• You will play an important role in the healing of a child experiencing grief. (It is an amazing challenge but well worth it!)
• You get to share in something very powerful with a network of people with similar intentions.
• As mentioned previously – Children are wonderful: they are smart, funny, generous and caring.
• It is challenging but the activities over the weekend are both fun -AND- rewarding!

Who you’ll be working with –

• Children! Your volunteer opportunity would determine the age and children do have different personalities at the various ages. Younger have a reputation of being sweeter while older children often get a bad rap but can make-up for any potential “attitude” with their deep thoughts. At all ages, they will definitely offer something in return.
• Wonderful camp counselors, dedicated to the children’s growth and healing.
• Other wonderful camp volunteers like yourself.

Level of commitment necessary – (ranges by organization & activity)

• As a cabin volunteer, the commitment is the entire weekend.
  • *You may or may not be sleeping in the same cabin with the kids (yes, they can talk most of the night)
  • *Your emotions are definitely engaged and challenged as you experience the weekend with the children.
• Other opportunities include Weekend volunteers who come out for the day and help with the camp-related activities.
• Depending on your role, finger-printing may be required.

What thoughts does a Bereavement camp bring to mind for you?

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