Prompt #2: Why is community service important in your life?
When I was in elementary school, I was hardly involved in community service. Perhaps it was because my parents were busy sending me off to ballet classes, piano lessons, and tutors every week. Perhaps it was because I wanted to spend most of my free time playing outside or watching the latest episode of “Sabrina, The Teenage Witch,” a show I basically grew up on. Or perhaps I never really understood what the purpose of community service was. I was raised in a safe, privileged neighborhood, and I assumed that all children around the world were like me.
Gradually, in middle school, I lost my naïve perspective and realized that not everyone always has food to eat or a home to go to at night. As more opportunities for community service arose, I participated in a few fundraisers for my Chinese school, such as Chinese New Year performances and volunteering at booths during community day. I began to enjoy these events mainly because they were fun, and I was able to meet a lot of friendly, outspoken people. I saw that by donating a little of my time, I could work with others as a team to accomplish something constructive. Even an act as small and ordinary as making sandwiches for my school’s Bridges program, which then brings the food to the homeless in New York, made me feel like I was part of a bigger program to better the world. I began to stop viewing community service as “opportunities” that were handed to me through affiliates and more as rewarding deeds that I should actively seek myself.
When I entered high school, I became even more aware of the kinds of daily necessities people in impoverished nations are desperate for – food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, education, sanitation, and safety, things that I had taken for granted in my own life. I became intrigued by the various clubs and organizations in my high school that aimed to provide these necessities, such as Eco Club, Red Cross Club, Key Club, Helping Cancer Patients, and the newly formed Children of Impoverished Nations (COIN). The Eco Club often organized trail clean-ups and planting sessions; as a firm environmentalist, I believe that helping to preserve nature is a necessity, and it not only benefits all living organisms but our posterity as well. Last year, I also participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life; having lost both of my grandfathers to cancer, this commemorative event was extremely important to me. Although I was unable to raise a ton of money in donations, every little bit contributed in this ongoing battle against a formidable opponent.
I became more involved with activities in my Chinese school by volunteering as a teacher’s assistant for two years in the conversation class. Most of the young students are adopted from Asian countries, and their parents wanted them to still have Chinese as part of their culture. It was definitely gratifying to see the students grasp the basics of the language, and going to school on Saturdays no longer felt like a chore. Over the summer, I volunteered as a camp counselor for the Monmouth County Chinese Summer Camp, which I loved so much that I participated in it for three years. The other counselors and I guided the campers through their daily activities, including arts and crafts, kung-fu, dance, and yo-yo – our job was to keep the children safe and entertained while their parents were at work. I admit that it was difficult at times, especially with the youngest campers, but by the end of the day, the organized chaos always left me spent but satisfied. Since I play the piano, I also asked to join several musical performance groups in my Chinese school. When we went to volunteer in senior homes, I was touched by how much support and gratitude the elderly showed us and surprised that such a “basic” skill of playing the piano could bring smiles to their faces.
One of my proudest and most memorable achievements is volunteering at a local soup kitchen called Lunch Break. I spent many hours cleaning, sorting clothes, and preparing and serving food with some of the kindest people I know. The soup kitchen, which depends on government subsidies and charitable donations, is run by an amiable elderly couple who work there every day. They are benevolent and compassionate people who genuinely care for those less fortunate, and I came to admire them very much. The couple always worked hard because the tiny building oftentimes had more than 100 people crammed inside for a meal. Even though the soup kitchen is located only twenty minutes from my hometown, I had never really been exposed to this tragic reality before, and it was definitely a wake-up call. I tried to go to Lunch Break at least twice a week during the summers, and although waking up in July and August at 7:30 in the morning was sometimes tough, my energy levels would augment after I got into the rhythm of peeling potatoes, whether for that day’s potato salad or for the mashed potatoes.
Serving food was always my favorite part of the day. It gave me an opportunity to chat with and befriend the people there. Most of them are intelligent, educated people who were unemployed due to the economic recessions. There was “Big John,” who, despite his monetary hardships, always had a cheery smile on his face as he came through the door. There was also a single mom who often came with her daughter, and I lamented this young girl’s already difficult childhood. I would secretly give the child the biggest piece of apple pie, but my heart was heavy with sadness. Sometimes, the overwhelming truth of just how many people in the world go hungry every day drained me of hope, and it showed on my face. I remember one day as I was serving food, I was feeling particularly discouraged. A kind elderly man asked me, “Where is that usual smile of yours? I miss seeing it; it always made my day.” I was touched by his words, and from then on I tried to give a smile to everyone who came into Lunch Break. That day, I learned that even spreading a little bit of happiness can make a huge difference in someone’s life.
Community service is such an integral part of my life – I have gained so much from it, and it truly gives me hope that I can have a positive impact in my community. I have been involved in community service for more than six years now, and I plan on continuing to do so in college and for the rest of my life. I am one of the luckier people in this world, and I feel that it is my duty as a human being to help other humans in need. If I have the capabilities and the resources, then I want to utilize what I have to aid other people as well; it is neither fair nor humane for a small fraction to “have it all” while many others have to suffer in abject fear and destitution. If everyone pitched in a little, the overall result can be phenomenal. We are all brothers and sisters living on this earth, and I finally understand the purposes of community service – to benefit the entire community, to better the person volunteering, to beautify the world, and to brighten the future.
