Another opportunity to serve

So my job requires me to spend 40 hours a year volunteering and those volunteer hours can be done during the work day. The time away from the office is paid time and is separate from vacation or other paid time off.

So, to help us meet our service requirement, my company helps organize work days where we can come together and volunteer along side co-workers that we don't necessarily interact with on a regular basis. As I have mentioned before, I have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, St. Baldwick's, Action for Children and the Food Bank through my company. And today was another one of those company wide service days. We had the option of spending a full day or half day giving our time to serve others.

Once again, I had the opportunity to serve in the city that I now call home. This afternoon, I spent my time away from the office with about 25 of my fellow co-workers helping spruce up a elementary school in Durham. We were told that 91% of the 481 children that attend the school receive free or reduced lunch and the school's population is mainly African- American or Hispanic. This particular school is year round so we got to see a lot of the students while we worked in the halls, bathrooms, gardens, etc.

One of the fun parts of the day was that we road to and from the school as a group in a YMCA school bus. We all laughed and talked about bus and school memories during the trip.

At the school, we painted, cleaned, weeded, and planted flowers. And of course, I volunteered to help paint. I worked along side one of the guys from our IT department and painted a handicap bathroom. I was a little sad that I wasn't painting the bathroom a pretty color, but by the time we were finished the gray and dull bathroom was transformed into a bright and shiny white one. I wish that I had taken a before and after picture, but I didn't have my phone or camera with me today.

At dismissal, the principal gathered us all in the entrance hall and announced to the parents, students and staff as they left for the day who we were and what we had done for the school. Several of the teachers even went out of their way to thank us. It probably helped that the bulk of the work that we did today revolved around staff bathrooms and lounges.

Now we don't serve to be recognized and we were all a little embarrassed at her announcement but I could tell that they felt like they needed to do something for all of our hard work. Growing up in a house with a mom who is a school teacher and now having many friends and other family members who work in schools, I know that it is the little things that can make a difference for a school.

So here's to another opportunity to serve and think about someone other then myself.