By Cheralyn Barrington, Layout Editor
Wooden tile floors had been laid, and the black, gooey adhesive was coming up through the cracks of each tile, making the otherwise pristine brown flooring dingy and black. The walls of all four hallways were in need of dusting, and a large, wonderful plaster tree needed a thick coat of brown paint. All of these tasks needed to be completed by the next day at the daycare I and about seven peers volunteered on Community Service Day. The couple who owns the daycare had been working hard all weekend to make their daycare look excellent for over 60 children who regularly attend and would be there the next day.
Time was winding down and without the help of volunteers there would have only been the couple and perhaps one of their close friends to assist with all of the work. Luckily with the help of the volunteers, we were able to restore the floors to beautiful, shiny wood, leave the walls gleaming, and finish the innovative plaster tree for the children to play in. It’s extremely refreshing to see how much a group, even a small one, can accomplish in a few small hours. With our three hours of community service work, the group’s efforts affected not only the daycare owners, but also the60 plus children who spend their days there. Our efforts will also affect the children who will attend the daycare in the future
Those three hours of work seem like nothing when compared with how many people our community service assisted. In addition to helping out in my community, I got the chance to bond with my peers. While on my hands and knees and covered in floor adhesive and water, I really got a chance to bond with my fellow community-servers. Doing a good deed with others is a stand-alone experience. I’ve participated in three community service days, and have done a lot of service work elsewhere, and each time it’s been extremely rewarding. Just knowing that a few of my hours can do so much to help someone else is a heart-warming feeling. Physically serving is not the only way to serve the community, either. I frequently clean out my closet for clothing I no longer wear, and it gets brought to a nearby church to see if anyone in need would like it. Whenever people at the church can’t use them, they get donated to Goodwill. A good rule of thumb is whenever a new clothing item is purchased, donate another. This helps others, but also keeps your closet clean. Also occasionally donating to a foodbank is a nice gesture.
There are many people around the world who are in need, but it’s not always easy to hop on a plane and go serve them. However, it is easy to help out a neighbor or someone else nearby who needs clothing or can’t afford dinner. Chances are, many people nearby are starving or suffering in some way and even a small portion of our time and effort could really help them out. If more people began helping their fellow man and woman, imagine the loving community we could live in. After all, community service is for the community, and charity starts at home.
