Single Woman- Gratefulness and Giving Back

My parents were and continue to be my role model for a life of service and giving back.

We were raised in a Christian household and belonged to a Christian Reformed Church.

I continued the tradition of attending church every Sunday with my sons and sang in the Church choir. But alas, when money was really tight and I had to choose between enough money for groceries or making a donation to the church, we stopped going to church. As my financial situation improved, I chose to live a life of service by volunteering in my community. My adage being, I may not have a lot of money to spare to donate, but I had time, energy, dedication, ideas and commitment.

With organizations abound, I started on my volunteering journey sometime around 2005. One of the first organizations was the Look Good Feel Better program – they help women suffering from cancer, to look and feel better about themselves.

As a woman that had escaped an abusive marriage and was fortunate enough that we did not have to go to a shelter, I volunteered for several years at a local shelter.

As a family from Dutch Descent, I joined my parents in working with a Charity Organization that supports these families in our province. My children benefited from the service – they went to camp in the summer and just before Christmas, we would receive a 20 lb box of groceries/staples to make meals for the Holidays. I continue to support this charity. Once I was able to afford to enroll my sons in sports leagues, I eagerly took on the role of manager, coordinator, treasurer, etc. I volunteered with an organization that supported cycling in our community, I volunteered with the Pan Am Games. As well, the Dutch are renowned for being avid cyclists – I spent many years sitting on an advisory committee working on bringing more bikes/bike lanes to our City.

With my passion for reading, I deliver novels/ digital material to seniors and families who otherwise would not be able to enjoy this worthwhile leisure activity. I spent several months helping a young woman learn how to swim thru the Special Olympics.

I am grateful to be able to afford a vehicle and to afford maintaining that vehicle. For this, I will always offer to help someone get somewhere if they are unable. I spent many years without a car and can appreciate the time and effort it takes to get around with public transit.

I get such joy from giving back. One thing I’ve learned – you will never meet a miserable volunteer, cause they are doing what they do, cause they love it!

Thank you for reading and for letting me share. Joye