What? A safe place where kids can hang out.
Who? Members ages 6 – 18 with volunteers ages 21 +
Volunteer Positions: Mentorship, tutoring, music, language, fitness, sports and more upon request.
Volunteer Process Time: Two week minimum.
More Info: http://www.bgclubroch.org
We threw open the two front doors. Unleashing our freedom, we ran. You could do that outside: no reminders that we needed to walk, no circle time, no homework and no worries. It was only inevitable that our running turned into a race. M, S and little K took off sprinting toward the far fence. “You think you can outrun me,” I must have said, touching the fence first. K giggled and raced back from where we started.
Volunteering Tip 001: Keep an open mind and, like a veteran traveler, revel in new experiences. Volunteering somewhere new is like entering another world or engaging others who have a different culture than your own. You take it all in, adapt and join in the movement.
After racing and playing a few energetic games of Dodgeball, I reentered the Boys & Girls Club building on Dec. 3, 2012, realizing how unique an experience it is to hang out with people of every single age group.
• T talks about his kid traveling the world. He’s worried, excited, and uncertain whether or not I could understand what it’s like.
• C talks with me about his Red Ninja Lego warrior. He wants me to help make him an entire world.
• A and M talk about Twilight with me. They’d rather not say if they are team Edward or Jacob because it might get too heated.
• I ask B about riding bicycles at night. He tells me to go for it.
• R is practicing logging onto the computer. She cries when an educational web site won’t accept her password and I tell her its okay.
When you volunteer in places like this, you learn something new every day. You may not know what your role will be – mentor, listening ear, friend, confidant, food source, punching bag, or tutor. But, given time, you feel like a part of a boisterous family. Loving every minute of it.
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