Service Learning Blog 2 - Week 15

Are people you came in contact with through this experience having some needs met through the community activities?
I volunteered at a fund raising event for Seeds of Hope on April 7th.  The event was the Hope Springs Eternal luncheon.  This is one of the events to support the six Schools in Urban Neighborhoods (S.U.N. schools). The event was a busy, but also rewarding.  I heard that the event was a success with raising over $10,000 for the schools.  Archbishop Chaput attended the event and was on of the speakers.  I will be volunteering for their next event, which is Party,Peeps, & Poker on June 10th. The non-profit is always in need of volunteers. 
Are community activities like these necessary and/or sufficient to fulfill these community and individual needs? Definitely, these fund raisers are necessary to provide assistance to these Catholic inner-city schools.  Many children would not be able to attend a Catholic school without the help from Seeds of Hope.  Seeds of Hope helps economically disadvantaged students in the inner-city with tuition assistance to attend Catholic Archdiocesan schools.  Children of all faiths can attend these schools. 
Do you see other means to do so?
Yes, there is the opportunity to be a tutor in the schools.  I hope to be able to do this once I finish the DNP program. 
What was the best/worst/most challenging thing that happened this semester?
The best thing was when one of the waiters at the Hope Springs Eternal came up to me after the event, as he was clearing the tables, and said thank-you, my daughter is able to attend one of the S.U.N. catholic schools because of this program.  That is all I needed to hear, to know that this is a wonderful non-profit to volunteer for.  I cannot think of a worst thing because the experience has been rewarding.  Probably the most challenging thing was when everyone was checking out and collecting their silent auction purchases after the event, and being able to coordinate runners, get the correct purchases to the guest, and keep everyone happy. 
What have you learned about yourself?
I have learned that I need to continue to volunteer, and give back to my community, even if I feel like I do not have the time.  The smiles I saw on the children's faces that attended the event from some of the schools was heart warming to know that Seeds of Hope does a tremendous service for our community and our children.  I also learned that I love to use my organizational skills to help an event be successful. 
What are your future service learning plans?
I plan on continuing to volunteer for Seeds of Hope, and will be helping with the Party, Peeps, & Poker event in June.  After completing the DNP program, I plan to spend time tutoring at one of the S.U.N. schools. 

Ruth