The Year of the Volunteer!

As I begin my second year of Florida life, I'm feeling really good about a lot of things. Having the dreaded "first year" behind me is allowing some perspective and helping me reflect on what brings balance and happiness to my life. When I lived in Minnesota volunteerism was a unique and nourishing role for me, and being away from it for the past year has definitely created a void. I've been dipping a toe into the volunteer scene in Jax lately to see where I might fit in, and recently signed on with a couple great organizations!

Ronald McDonald House is a charity I consider near and dear, thanks to my previous affiliation with the Rochester House, so I was extremely happy to find a House here in Jax! It's a beautiful 30-room facility situated near the river (yes, this locale requires me to drive into downtown... nerve-wracking, but also good for sharpening my lay of the land!) I went in for my first shift yesterday. I'm not actually working at the House, though - I'm a host in the RMH Family Room located on the 3rd Floor of the nearby Wolfson Children's Hospital. The Family Room is an additional resource to the House, and it's open to anyone with a child in the hospital (whether they are staying at RMH or are a local family just needing a place to hang out while their child receives care). The four hours I spent there were a whirlwind of activity, and I'm excited to go back. ;-) Here's a link to more Family Room info. on RMH's website: http://www.rmhjax.org/our-family-room

Junior League of Jacksonville recently accepted my application for membership. JLJ is volunteer organization I learned about from colleagues who are current members or have been previously involved. It's comprised of a diverse group of women "committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers." (quote from the website ;-) Their primary focus - to provide support for public education and foster care issues - affiliates the group with MANY great initiatives and organizations throughout the Jax community. It seems like a wonderful opportunity to invest deeply in an org. and to develop relationships with a lot of impactful, positive people! As a new member, I'll be kicking off my "provisional year" with a training retreat starting in August. More info. about JLJ an be found here: http://www.jlweb.org/jacksonville/npo.jsp?pg=home