COMMUNITY SERVICE
Fall 2023
This semester, I participated in another Service Saturday and volunteered at the Zucchini Festival on August 26th. I worked mainly with serving desserts to visitors and helping run the event with other student volunteers.
I selected this project to get more involved in the local community and connect more with locals while providing a service to them. I wanted to do something a bit more fun and outside of the box than past community service opportunities and the Zucchini Festival seemed like the perfect opportunity to take advantage of. Volunteering at the festival, located in Brooktondale, New York, also got me a little bit outside of the Ithaca bubble.
Spring 2023
This semester I volunteered with Tompkins County Public Library as a part of the Service Saturday program. I helped sort out books that the library no longer needed (either due to them not being checked out or outdated).
​
I selected my project because I've never volunteered at a library. I've always loved reading and being a part of the literary world so it felt like an opportunity to give back, while also learning more about how libraries function as a place to bring people together. My work was definitely challenging as I often thrive in group environments, and the 4 volunteers were split into different groups. I ended up working on my task alone but made conversation with people at the library when I got the chance to feel more connected to the environment. I made sure to share opportunities with my friends about opportunities to get involved at the library and hope to be back next semester!
​
Fall 2022
This semester, I volunteered at the Ithaca City Cemetery on Saturday, September 24th through the Service Saturday program. Along with a group of other leadership scholars, I was responsible for helping to clean trash around the cemetery and washing down the graves.
I selected this project because I've always been interested in cemeteries from a young age. Recently, both of my grandmothers passed away from my Mom and Dad's sides of the family. Dealing with the aftermath of these tragedies motivated me to do work to help make the cemetery a clean and peaceful place for people to be able to visit their loved ones without disruption.
While cemeteries are often perceived to be a scary place in horror movies and books, in reality, they are meant to be calm and beautiful memorials of loved ones that came before us. Volunteering at the Ithaca City Cemetry helped correct some of these preconceived notions about cemeteries and this was my favorite community service project yet. Talking to the Ithaca locals at the cemetery and their personal connection to their loved ones who have passed away also helped make the experience emotionally fulfilling for me as a leader.
Spring 2022
The social or environmental issue or problem that I would like to help solve is the lack of accessibility that elderly people often face with technology. Technology is something that a lot of us rely on, so much so that it is difficult to live in today's society without having access and/or understanding of technology. This is an important issue to me because I've seen barriers in my own family with my grandparents due to technology and want to help ensure that everybody is able to use technology for what they need.
​
This semester, I volunteered at Kendal to help with Device Advice. I met with residents, helped to answer any questions they had about technology and their devices, and showed them how to use phones and tablets. This specific community service project that I did this semester helped me to solve my indicated social issue I helped to break the barrier of inaccessibility between the elderly people I helped and their technology.
​
One thing that really stood out to me was that even when I wasn't able to solve a resident's specific problem they were facing, they said that it was reassuring to know that it wasn't their fault that the technology was malfunctioning. This really stood out to me because it felt comforting to know that even if a specific problem cannot be solved or figured out, it can be reassuring to know that you've done all you can. Especially for elderly people who can feel disconnected from society due to our reliance on technology, knowing that I was able to make them feel less doubtful about their abilities to manage their devices was a great feeling. Sometimes as leaders, we may not be able to solve every problem that ever arises, but we can do our part to do everything we can. Even if it means just simply reassuring somebody that their problems are valid, being a leader can manifest in so many different, equally important ways.
My service was a single volunteer experience, but I promoted awareness of the cause by sharing what I learned with my friends and encouraged them to volunteer there. I also posted information and pictures from the event on my social media to spread the word. Particularly, I stressed the importance of accessibility. Next semester, I hope to find the time to volunteer at Kendal again on my own time!
​
Fall 2021
​
I attended the Service Saturday on September 25 at the Ithaca ReUse Center, Elmira Road location. The Ithaca ReUse Center is a non-profit, local organization that recycles and has ReUse initiatives in order to help the environment, economy and foster a greater sense of community. The center sells previously used products instead of getting rid of them
​
I selected this project at the Ithaca Re-Use Center to try a new community service project, per my MMM community service goal, and to broaden my perspective about re-using materials and thrifting. I wanted to learn something new in order to enhance my understanding of the environmental factors at hand when deciding where I go shopping.
​
While at the ReUse Center, I specifically helped out with cleaning up trash and getting rid of litter outside of and around the center. I also helped inside the store by reorganizing items on shelves to make them more organized for customers. This helped make the store cleaner and possibly attract more visitors in the future.
​
By attending this Service Saturday, I gained a greater understanding and appreciation for thrifting culture. Talking to customers, workers and fellow volunteers helped me learn that reusing materials can be vital in helping to stop climate change and create a more ecologically friendly community. Where I decide to go shopping can make a greater difference than I had realized. I felt a great sense of community at the center with everybody there who was interested in benefitting the community and made me want to come back.
​
This learning has made a difference in my intellectual, personal, ethical and professional development by showing me new ways of thinking when it comes to purchasing. In my future career, the principles of being eco-friendly and sustainable can be something I try and help to raise awareness for through the films I hope to write and produce. Having this experience at the Ithaca Re-Use center has sparked a passion within me to use my writing and film career to raise awareness for important local issues.
Volunteering at the Ithaca ReUse Center was overall a great opportunity. I am thankful to the reuse center for having us and for helping to show me that thrifting is a great option that can benefit the health of the world and our local communities.
