- knitting
- reading
- making art
- sewing
- gardening
- cooking
- dieting
- running
- walking
- weight training
- being married
and probably many other interests have waxed and waned over the course of my life, while making that trip to Alderson has been a consistent commitment since the day I began.
(My current husband and I enjoyed our first date more than 20 years ago, and we've lived in the same house for 16 years. So he wins. But you get my drift; we didn't marry until we'd lived in sin for 10 years. Heh.)
That's not to say I don't miss a week here and there, due to illness (mine or my dad's) or weather. Various things have occasionally happened to prevent me from going. For the most part, though, if it's Tuesday evening, I'm in jail.
The luncheon also includes a couple hours of training, required of staff and volunteers by the Bureau of Prisons. I'm very comfortable with my involvement with the inmates, and have never felt threatened or frightened or manipulated or intimidated, but the training is mostly how to defend and protect and distance yourself from them. I'm prudent, moreso now than I was in the beginning, but honestly? The women I serve aren't there to hurt me.
If I were going into an institution with higher security level, or into a male institution, I might feel differently. Alderson – a female camp – is the lowest level of security in the federal system, populated with, for the most part, first-time non-violent offenders.
They made a mistake, chose unwisely, had a lapse in judgement. Been there. Done that. I can't hold that against them, as society does and certainly as the BoP seems to do.
If sharing your heart with federal inmates isn't your thing, that's fine. I truly never thought it would be as meaningful to me as it has been all these years. Volunteering for something, however, will warm you and enrich you and help you grow like nothing else will. Not church, not work, not parenting.
Do you volunteer? How do you share and how does it make you feel? If you don't, United We Serve may help you find opportunities.
5 comments:
Now what I do, and one of my kids does it too, is give blood on a very regular basis. The Red Cross has me on their schedule and calls me as soon as my 'rest' time is up.
Over the years I actually did too much volunteer work (to the exclusion of doing what I needed to be doing). so right now, this is a really good, defined, effort.
I love when you write about your prison work. And I think that is a nicely defined volunteer job. Yes, it is weekly. but it is a defined time. You are there for your 'time', and then the rest of your week is available for your other priorities.
I couldn't agree more about volunteering. I love that I can say "I'm a volunteer", for most of my life it was just to chock full to be able to give anything to anything except my job and family. But here in West BG Virginia I have found rewarding "work" and "family" and find that, though I sometimes get overwhelmed, it is worth it. What you do at the prison is very important and I know the women you touch are very lucky indeed.
I spend my Saturday mornings at our Community Meal, which serves, just that: the community...whether you have 5 cents or 5000 dollars in your pocket. We've been at it for 3 years now...we have volunteers...and for the most part...I share myself for folks who need someone to talk to...Unchurched, churched...and in-between. I can't get in the door, before folks want to serve their joys and sorrows with me....God bless you for your calling...I am sure the women appreciate you.
btw...I used to work at a BOP halfway house in Brooklyn, NY. The conditions were horrendous.
My regular volunteering is with library "Friends" groups - I've been volunteering at the branch near my old job for 15+ years. We raise money to purchase items for the library that they cannot afford with the recent (and not so recent) budget cutbacks. Seems like the library always get cut first, and they are down to running on a true shoestring budget. Such a shame, as I think libraries (and reading) is SO important.
Recently, I've started volunteering at a second Friends group at the small branch that's just around the corner from my house. At this branch, last year's budget cutbacks have them only open Monday through Thursday! Seems like silly days for the library to be open - why not at least be open on Saturday - but there you have it - the wisdom of the county decision makers.
I love spending time at the libraries, although the one that's in town can be a bit hard to take in the summer when the homeless population that shelters there during the day in the winter for the heat and the summer for the AC can become a bit "ripe" so to speak. But I guess day time homeless shelter is just one more service the libraries provide. It is a bit of a shame, as I think it does keep many people away when they come in and have a bad experience with it.
Like Vicki, I used to give blood on a regular basis - getting the call to come again as soon as my 56 days was almost up. I was a part of the "baby blood" program - apparently, the blood they use in infants can only be a week or less old, so they regularly schedule people whose blood is designated to be used in surgeries on children (or put into the regular supply if it's not needed for the purpose).
Unfortunately, the only person at the Red Cross who was able to give me a good stick and get a full bag retired a few years ago. After a number of failed attempts which left me bruised and annoyed at wasting the time, they actually asked me not to come back anymore as it was too hard to get my blood. I assume I'm in a very elite club of people who are healthy and have "good" blood, but are asked not to return. It's a shame, really, as they are always putting out calls for donors, but c'est la vie!
Anyway, I admire your work at the prison and your long-term commitment to it.
Sorry it's taken so long to reply, Sista ... I just hate that halfway houses are as bad as they are. Seems like the BOP WANTS these people to fail! Thanks for your service feeding your community. Perhaps one day we'll both have to find something new to do!
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