Working to build a wheelchair ramp with Habitat for Humanity in Blacksburg.
How can you educate others or raise awareness about this group or social issue? Habitat for Humanity tends to be a name that most people recognize due to their size and the great work that they do in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. If you tell people about working with Habitat they will usually have some idea of what sort of work you were doing or at least know that you were doing service. It is important to explain what type of work you were doing and why in order to spread awareness of the issue which prompted the service work that was done. In this case we were working to help dig holes for the bases of a wheelchair ramp which would be used so that an elderly man would be able to get in and out of his home. He had not been able to leave the trailer he and his wife lived in for some time, and because of the ramp being built he would now be able to go out into the community and experience life outside of the confines of his home. Do you see benefits of doing community work? Why or why not? There are always benefits of doing community work, both for the person doing the work and the community being served. I was able to see how the work we were doing, which mainly consisted of digging, would benefit the family who lived in the home we were working at. Towards the beginning of the day when we first started working, the home owners were standing at their screen door watching us and waving at us when we said hello. Knowing that we were helping to improve the quality of their lives in any way was so rewarding. What institutional structures are in place at your site or in the community? How do they affect the people you work with? At the site that we were working at we ran into a dilemma with guidelines on how the ramp was supposed to be positioned and placed. The way that the property was laid out and how close the front door was to the road, the ramp had to make a sort of “U” shape in order for it to satisfy the guidelines of how steep of an incline it could be at per foot. The man who we were helping to build the ramp for came outside and asked if it could be changed so that it went straight down instead of turning so that it would take him directly to where the passenger door if his parked car was. The way that the ramp was designed and the car was parked, he would have to go around the car in order to get to his seat. There was nothing that we could do to change the design because of the rules that were in place. What did you do that seemed to be effective or ineffective in the community? We were able to dig the required holes that were needed in order to build the structure of the ramp. It was difficult because they needed to be a certain number of feet deep so that the structure would be securely in the ground. Although it was a lot of work and we ended up digging up lots of heavy rocks instead of dirt, we were able to accomplish the task we were presented. We were able to start the ground work for a project that would increase the quality of someone’s life and hopefully make them a little bit happier every day. What are the most difficult or satisfying parts of your work? Why? The most difficult part of the work were the rocks that we were digging up. Because the trailer was located on a hill, the ground under it was comprised of various different things that were used to fill in the ground when the area was being built up. Every other minute someone would hit a large rock that would take an enormous amount of work and effort to remove. Sometimes we would have to use a heavy metal pole to try to crush the rocks or try to get them loose from the ground in order for someone to reach down and pull it out. It was extremely satisfying when we were able to remove the rocks because we could continue with our work of helping to build the ramp for the man who needed it. How are your values expressed through your community work? My values of caring for one another, lending a helping hand, and serving those who need are expressed through my service and community work. In order to participate in service, we must care for others. One doesn’t work for others if they are self-absorbed and only interested in caring for themselves. When someone is in need and they ask for help it is our duty as humans and members of society to try to help them accomplish the task that they are struggling with. The world becomes a better and brighter place when people help others. Complete this sentence: Because of my service-learning, I am… Because of my service-learning, I am humbled and more appreciative of the amenities in my day to day life that I take for granted.
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Catherine CarrollThese are some reflections upon the service experiences I have had. Hope you enjoy :) ArchivesCategories |