Volunteer Gigs

[Purron]

So Purron, I've been afraid to do this kind of volunteering because every time I go to an animal shelter, I come home in tears or with a new pet. Do you have any advice for me? I'm fairly newly without-a-dog and would love to go walk dogs, if I can do it without getting too upset.

If you're interested in this kind of volunteer work, take time to thoroughly check out animal shelters and rescue groups in your area before deciding to volunteer. You can find many of them listed on petfinder.com. Talk to volunteers and find out what it's like to work with them. You can also get good information on charities from guidestar.org.

Be careful since many groups are well intentioned but put a lot of pressure on volunteers to do more than they are comfortable with. If you do decide to work with a shelter or rescue, go slow before getting too involved.

Many people find working directly with rescue animals too stressful. Because of this, it's often better for folks to help in other ways such as helping out at fund raising events or simply donating to the cause.

Good luck

 

[Tesaje]

I volunteer as a bike patroller on the C&O Canal NHP. A great way to get exercise, meet people & do some good at the same time. I've done 75 hours so far this year. I also do the mail duties for a sourdough starter thing that takes about 3 hrs a week.

 

[ScottFromUtah]

Wow! I'm impressed with all the volunteer work (and financial contributions) by members of this forum.

DW volunteers as an accompanist for our church choir and as a counselor at a nonprofit organization that works with people who have lost loved ones. I do volunteer work through Rotary International (all kinds of different service projects) and at a Spanish training center as a "listener" on whom students practice their new language skills. DW and I have gone to Peru twice on humanitarian expeditions and once as missionaries.

 

[Dancer373]

I donate money and also help out some elderly people I know. Help with their computers, take them shopping, go out to their homes and check on them. I'm still trying to get used to not w*****g

 

[2soon2tell]

I used to work with a disabled couple taking them to doctors apts.,grocery shopping, running errands etc. Since that time one has passed away and the other is in a retirement home. Sad.

Now I am a volunteer Houston Ground Angel transporting patients to and from Houston airports to MD Anderson Cancer Center. These folks come from all over the country for treatment of their disease. As a cancer survivor we have a lot to talk about.

 

[two4theroad]

We take care of my 93 yr old grandmother. I have lived next door to her since she was 65. I had to put her in assisted living this year but still take care of her bills and her house. Also overseeing her care there as far as home health visits, dr visits and just being sure that she is properly taken care of is a daily necessity. She is not able to tell me if she is treated properly or if she needs something so I have to be really aware of her daily condition.
Also have my 72 yr old dad there, he is also declining rapidly, to the point that I think he might precede his mom in death. He is currently in hospital with pneumonia. It is the 4th time this year he has been in hospital. He is diabetic, is a 100% disabled veteran and has VA insurance. Dealing with the VA to try to get his medical needs met is a daily struggle. Never let your Medicare Part B lapse!!!
We also help my mother with her rental properties as she has a dissecting aortic aneurysm. She still lives alone but needs help with all physical activity and financial issues.
As soon as we have time....we plan to do some volunteer work outside the family. We have checked out the local food bank and humane society and they are top of the list. Currently we only support them with cash donations.
2fer

 

[heyyou]

Thank you to all

Compared to others, I'm almost embarrassed to post this. I pick up litter in the adjacent national forest. When the volume outgrew our home trash canister, I ask to use the commercial dumpsters at the forest service district office. That lead to them asking if I would accompany paid staff to help them pickup litter, which I still do about one day a week, but the shine is gone after three years of seeing gov't inefficiency.

On a trans-state hiking trail, I volunteered for weekend trail maintenance events. Now with more experience, I do light maintenance solo in remote areas on multi-day backpacking trips. That is my preference these days. The problem is there's enough work for a dozen full timers but I'm only going out 8-10 days per month.

In our rural neighborhood, DW and I have cleaned up enough roadside litter that we gets calls asking about our health if someone sees litter laying for more than a couple of weeks.

Donating a pint of blood does not take long, but my 91 donations do represent more than a just a few hours.

 

[travelover]

.......... I pick up litter in the adjacent national forest. ..........

This is great! Litter is a pet peeve of mine and I pick up litter, too, in the state park where I walk daily and in my neighborhood. The other day I found a home made bong tossed in the bushes at the park. Poor design, though. Hard to keep lit.

 

[mh]

You don't have to go the "organized route" either. There's an older gent
in my neighborhood who's by himself. I go by there every week or so
and teach him how to do stuff on his shiny new imac. Or i wheel him around
a museum (he's a retired art history prof.) Or we go out to dinner.

I just call him up when i have some time i can spend...

 

[TromboneAl]

Being an introvert, volunteering isn't the kind of thing I generally want to do.

However, I realize that I do volunteer -- I play piano at an assisted living facility every two weeks. Just got back from one of these "gigs."

 

[grasshopper]

At 56 I became a volunteer Wildland Firefighter. I take the arduous pack test(40 lb pack 3 miles 40 min) and pass every year. My wife calls the overnighters in the wilderness, "boys night out". This is a young man/womans job, but the old dog keeps up.

 

[Alan]

I volunteered for AARP's Tax-Aide program last year, and probably will do so again. I also volunteer indexing records for FamilySearch.org.

Coach

I quite like the idea of this so I've just submitted an application to be a volunteer.

 

[Purron]

I quite like the idea of this so I've just submitted an application to be a volunteer.

Well done. My mom uses this sevice. Wish she could see you Alan, but she's here in Virginia and you're in the Lone Star State

 

[Mmm Rrr]

If you're interested in this kind of volunteer work, take time to thoroughly check out animal shelters and rescue groups in your area before deciding to volunteer. You can find many of them listed on petfinder.com. Talk to volunteers and find out what it's like to work with them.

I took your advice and checked out my local shelters...I have a training session for prospective dog-walkers at the one I chose in late October. It's a no-kill shelter, so hopefully I won't feel compelled to bring them home!

 

[Purron]

I took your advice and checked out my local shelters...I have a training session for prospective dog-walkers at the one I chose in late October. It's a no-kill shelter, so hopefully I won't feel compelled to bring them home!

 

[Alan]

Well done. My mom uses this sevice. Wish she could see you Alan, but she's here in Virginia and you're in the Lone Star State

I'm quite looking forward to doing this. A friend at work back in Baton Rouge used to do something similar through our church so it has interested me in the past.

 

[Purron]

I'm quite looking forward to doing this. A friend at work back in Baton Rouge used to do something similar through our church so it has interested me in the past.

You are a very charming and kind hearted person Alan. My only warning to you...be prepared for lots of seniors wanting to invite you over for dinner or bake you cookies

 

[Alan]

You are a very charming and kind hearted person Alan. My only warning to you...be prepared for lots of seniors wanting to invite you over for dinner or bake you cookies

Thanks for the warning, maybe I'll have to be careful of my waistline.

 

[Nords]

Thanks for the warning, maybe I'll have to be careful of my waistline.

"Will volunteer for food"... works for me.

 

[Alan]

"Will volunteer for food"... works for me.

I'm easily bought