Community service by Ryan

Community service by Ryan - November 2023 Scholarship Essay

It was dreadfully hot, my feet were aching, and I had about 100 wood slivers in my hands from the pallets I'd been carrying all day; but it was all worth it. Being there filled my soul, it motivated me to be a better person. I love working at the food bank knowing I’m helping people that actually need it. I love working with people and bringing a smile to their faces. I love volunteering my time to help others.
I’d done community service before; your basic park and highway clean up, Being a volunteer leader at the boys and girls club, participating in a charity race, and standing outside a Walmart during Christmas ringing a bell. Although good and helpful, being at the food bank is where I felt most alive. My best friend and I would go every week for about a year. I’ve got to say doing something you love is great but doing it with someone you love is an amazing feeling. We really got to bond over helping people together. That is something I'll never forget. I was also making a connection with the people I was helping and seeing them every week really lit me up inside. Filling care bags for the homeless and giving them out the second I made them, It made me feel useful and productive. I will admit at times it was chaos but it was a good chaos; Feeding the neighbors chickens the leftover food, Jumping in a dumpster because someone threw away the “good cardboard boxes”, seeing about ten fender benders and five people (myself included) getting backed into all from the same guy who definitely didn't have a license, or getting a mop stuck to the freezer floor because the manager insisted that it was warm enough to use. There wasn't a dull moment while being there.
I’ll always remember the lessons working at the food bank taught me, but the most important one is to always be as helpful and kind as you can because you never know what someone is going through. This experience has definitely sparked my interest in becoming a

paramedic. I learned that I’m really motivated to do anything when it comes to helping people and being someone others can count on.