Hey everybody! This actually isn't Michael Nelson, but by his gracious invitation this is guest blogger Juni Kim. I'm sure most of you out there no next to nothing about me, but that's the beauty of writing over the internet. Suffice to say I'm a good friend of Michael's.
A few weeks ago our family home evening activity was a service scavenger hunt. I know that sounds a little confusing. What we did was go around knocking on doors asking if we could do small acts of service that we would tally up for points at the end of the night. Sounds great right? I have to admit going around knocking on doors brought flashes of missionary service back to my mind.
Anyways, I was surprised at the number of people that let us into their houses and clean random bits of their house. Quite incredible really. I mean, it's not exactly proper protocol to let random strangers into your house. But I guess that's the beauty of service; it brings out the best of people. Our little group's eagerness to serve (and earn points towards winning the scavenger hunt) literally opened up doors to us. In my mind, accepting a stranger's willingness to serve is service in itself. Like I said, really remarkable.
There's such an interesting paradox when it comes to service. Whenever we forget ourselves and help out others, we end up gaining benefit from it. Everyone wins in the spirit of service. It just takes that initial action to get out there and help others. Well, it's been great to take part of this blog, hope you took something from it. Remember to always love from the bottom of your heart to the tips of your toes!-Juni Kim
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Locks of Love
As a freshman at BYU, I tried so hard to find a way around the honor code with the length of my hair. I refused to get it cut. I would blow dry my hair up on the side and back and put hair spray on it so that it would not fall down just so that I could avoid cutting my hair. I lasted nearly an entire semester before even the blow drying lost its complete effect and I was forced to cut my hair. Well putting together this service blog I think I found a way around it.
Locks of Love is a service organization that connects financially disadvantaged children with BYU students on a hair level. Students are allowed to donate their hair twice per year to children who suffer from long term medical hair loss. All you do is grow your hair out nice and long, then contact a Locks of Love Program Director to find a place to get it cut. Local hair salons donate their time and services to cut and style the hair of volunteers so that they do not look like prison inmates when they get a haircut. If I understand this right I bet a student could obtain temporary permission to grow their hair and style is conservatively in order to donate.
This organization is for both men and women. Girl-long hair is maybe a bit more useable, but extra long hair is not necessary. Especially now that Christmas Break is approaching, avoid the hair clippers. It is the holiday season for hair too. You can even donate it to a respectable cause upon return to BYU campus.
To participate, first don’t get a haircut. Second, stop by the YServe office in the Wilkinson Center in front of Jamba Juice. There you will receive the contact information to the program directors, or go to the yserve website at centerforservice.byu.edu/content/get-involved and browse for Locks of Love under organizations.
You can put a smile on a child's face!
Utah Valley Regional Medical Center
A little over a week ago, late one Tuesday night, I found myself in the Emergency Room. A game of pick-up basketball got a little aggressive too quickly and a stray elbow found its way to my face, breaking my nose in several spots. A smiling volunteer helped me talk to the right doctor, whom while cracking a few jokes, asked how the injury occurred. He typed the information into the computer and handed me off to another nurse who would take me back to take some x-rays. Grudgingly I followed an overly polite nurse who commented on the amount of injuries they have every night from BYU intramural sports. I could only smile as I saw 3 guys my age being attended to. All had carpooled to play in the same football game but also carpooled together to the hospital to get broken or bruised noses, knees, and fingers examined. Through my hospital visit, each and every one of the volunteers and staff members who assisted me was so friendly. I was the last patient to come in for the night so a few nurses brought me some Oreos and a Sprite. I commented how I felt like I was in a hotel being treated this way. With a smirk on their faces, the nurses searched about the hospital and put together a mini goodie bag filled with a small bottle of shampoo, a toothbrush, toothpaste, body soap, and a small comb. I left the hospital that night with a smile.
So although I did not participate in this service activity, I was on the receiving end of an extra kind act. It brought to mind the good feeling when someone goes out of their way to help me. It’s a nice break. Like when a walking guy’s backpack suddenly opens and all of his papers come flying out. It is a nice relief when a few strangers stop to help in a moment of need. Despite my “bah-humbug” attitude hospital volunteers assisted me and were kind about their service.
Go ahead and volunteer at the local hospital. Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. They have a great facility and treat their employers, volunteers, and patients very well. Either go on their website at intermountainhealthcare.org and click the link that says “Giving & Volunteering” or call the hospital at (801) 357-7850.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Healing Power of Horses
Not that I do service for selfish reasons, but some of the opportunities that BYU has to offer sound like so much fun. The most recent that I have looked a bit into is a service group called Horses For Healing. This organization offers horseback therapy to individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities. Now being a volunteer that doesn’t mean you just ride a horse around all day for free. Volunteers help out those with disabilities to receive their “horse therapy”. You know, I am at a bit of a loss how riding a horse can help someone get better from a previous disability. I always figured that riding a horse was pretty bumpy and that if you didn’t have a strong back then you would be pretty sore by the end of the ride. Any ideas on how riding a horse can be considered “therapy”? I don’t have the right answer so this is subject to conversation. Even if your hypothesis is made up and completely fake, it is a possibility.
Hypothesis #1: Maybe this horse therapy is especially for horse lovers. I have an older sister who absolutely loves horses. She would give up anything to just ride one for a couple of hours. This therapy could be completely psychological to help the disabled feel like they can still do something they love. Just an idea.
For the real answers contact the Program Director Cambria Morgan at horsesforhealing@byu.edu
Secret Santa
About 7 years ago my family got in touch with a service organization providing a Christmas to families that did not have enough money to do so. This family lived about 45 minutes away from us but for close to a month prior to Christmas our family started making plans so that on Christmas Eve everything would run smoothly. We put together a basket of food and wrapped perhaps a dozen presents for the single mother and her 4 children. To this day I still remember delivering this “Christmas” to an unknown family. The lady spoke only Spanish so my older sister was our interpreter. I didn’t need to understand each and every word. The tears were enough for me to understand that this mother was grateful for what we were doing.Despite living in Happy Valley, there are some families who will not be able to have a Christmas of their own. The goal of Sub-For-Santa (combined with the United Way) is to help at least a handful of families to have a true merry Christmas. The planning begins now. I don’t mean to depress anyone by talking about Christmas at the beginning of November, but now is the time to start preparing. Volunteers are needed in November and in the beginning of December to help with the application process at workshops. It is a very well organized and uplifting organization that is ready to act. The contact information is below, but give a call or send off an e-mail to see if you can fit a bit of service in your schedule.
Allie Dixon, Program Director, (801) 814-0759
sub4santa@byu.edu
http://www.unitedwayucv.org/volunteer/
Monday, October 25, 2010
Snow Angels
Well. According to weather.com something bad is going to happen tomorrow. White, moist, fluffy balls are supposedly going to fall from the sky. As a born and raised Southern California boy, I don’t see too much of it. It is called snow. Pros of snow: it covers up our lawn that could be receiving better maintenance. Cons: it is cold and makes for a barricade between my front door and the rest of the world. Well for those of you who do enjoy the snow, there happens to be a service group that you can get involved with. They are the Snow Angels.
The Snow Angels are a seasonal service organization that operates every time that there is snowfall. Volunteers shovel snow on driveways and sidewalks for the elderly, physically disabled, or others who can not do it on their own. Students are assigned 1-3 driveways/sidewalks and are responsible for clearing off their assigned areas after each snowfall. Shovels and salt for ice are either provided by the organization itself or the homes of those receiving the service.
Don’t get intimidated by the physical labor. It’s fun. You can be helping others while having a snowball fight with your friends. Now that we are approaching the unavoidable snow season, join the club.
Contact Information:
Nick Vigil or Kailey Johnson
yserve page: https://centerforservice.byu.edu/content/get-involved?frame=organization and search under the organization “Snow Angels”
What's Black and White and Red all Over?
So this past week I had an intramural basketball game. As we were warming up I saw this 6 foot something guy with a green band on his right elbow…playing basketball. Moral of the story…I guess giving blood isn’t as bad as people say.
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| A happy guy donating blood |
What seems like every week in the Wilk Garden area the Red Cross teams up with BYU service organizations to have a blood drive. After filling out a brief questionnaire volunteers can give blood and help out those in need. If you want to give blood, go ahead and be my guest. But to organize a blood drive, you need more than just people giving blood. You need people volunteering in an array of different ways. To volunteer to help with the blood drive, you don’t have to be sticking people with needles. I would probably pass out on the spot. Volunteers are needed to hand out fliers, sit at booths, put up posters, and helping out the blood banks with whatever they need. For more information, send an e-mail to blooddrives@byu.edu and find out how you can help out. There are always blood drives and constantly more volunteers are needed. The next drives are Nov. 15 and Dec. 1 so go ahead and sign up now.
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