I volunteered at the UT volunteer fair again this year. I helped check in volunteering organizations that come to campus to recruit volunteers or inform students of volunteer opportunities. Part of the volunteer experience included answering questions from students passing by, taking down tents, and managing ticket distribution for food.
I volunteered at a conversation at Dobie Middle School on the needs of the Rundberg community. The conversation was a follow up from one held in May. During the allotted two hours, I facilitated conversation amongst the members of the community to help discern specific needs that could be met through the Center for Community Engagement and its organizations. I presented the list of the needs written by my small group to the larger group that attended. Attending these Front Porch Gatherings is really beneficial to getting to know the surrounding Austin communities and taking part in projects that can help these underserved communities.
I really enjoyed Project day, I was part of the outreach committee so I was tasked with the responsibilities related to kick-offs for Project day. This involved stage set-up and greeting guest speakers like President Fenves. I also was in charge of delivering meals to the 17 sites in Rundberg. It was a great experience overall to see how the efforts of some 1500 UT students impacted the Rundberg community. I am looking forward to doing it again next year!
I really enjoyed my community service for the Trail of Lights! At first I was just helping sort and distribute the t-shirts to the participants, but later I was able to work behind the computer. I enjoyed my time behind the computer because I was able to interact with the participants and it helped me gain a new found respect for the people who organize this event. There are a lot of nuts and bolts that go into making this run happen and I got a taste of how difficult it is to check in almost 4,000 people. I would recommend this opportunity to anyone because the people who run the t-shirt pick up are really nice, it is relatively simple and enjoyable, and you get a free shirt!
Really enjoyed inspecting food and getting boxes ready for those who are hungry. It was a great experience and I was able to see just how much work goes into getting meals to people who need them.
