Our library's open house festival this month was another opportunity to gain perspective from new volunteers. Even those who have been volunteering for several months told me how much they appreciated having the experience of woking one-on-one with the visually impaired and those with physical handicaps.
This is one of the only times that so many of our customers have an opportunity to come to our site in person. Volunteers who usually record the news in our studio don't get an opportunity to immediately see the result of their effort. No matter how many times you tell someone that they really make a difference, it indeed makes a difference to them when they actually see the person they are serving. Volunteers were given tasks that were more "hands-on" like guiding a low-vision or blind person around the library for the entire afternoon. Most guests were very gracious but some were a challenge.
I must admit that this reinforced my appreciation for our hard-working volunteers who handled wheelchairs, talked with customers and made sure that they were able to enjoy the entertainment, exhibits and our keynote speaker.
The volunteers thanked me for the experience but I continued to thank them for many days thereafter.
Yoshimoto
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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