giving back to the community
one square on my 2026 bingo card was to volunteer, and i'm happy to announce i've done it twice this year! the first was back in spring, when i picked up trash at the local lake. the second time was this weekend, when i helped paint a bridge at my neighborhood park.
the day i volunteered at the lake, there were hundreds of people picking up trash while rowing through the lake or walking on the trail, as well as dozens working on logistics like checking people in and passing out supplies. i get motion sickness, so i opted to walk on the trails. it was slow work clawing at tiny pieces of trash at first, but once i got away from the high traffic areas, i had picked up enough garbage to fill the entire XL bag. by the end of the morning, i was drenched in both sweat and a light spring rain, and had dirt all over the cuffs and knees of my jeans, but it was worth it.
the event this weekend was much more intimate, with a 25-person volunteer limit at each park. i chose the one closest to my apartment, and was pleasantly surprised by my first visit. it was a comfortable park, not too big and not too small, with lots of different structures for people of all ages to enjoy. (somewhat to my chagrin, the bridge was right next to the pickleball courts, and i kept hearing a woman shriek "UNRETURNABLE!")
a lot of families came to volunteer together, which i thought was so sweet. they even seemed to know each other and chatted about their homes and school. i painted together with a mother and her two daughters, as well as another girl that looked to be my age. (i took all morning to work up the courage to ask her for her number to potentially hang out, to which she graciously replied, "i wanted to ask you too!") it took us three hours to finish priming and painting, but it was worth it to see how much brighter and warmer the park looked with its newly "cosmic green" bridge.
besides the bridge transformation, other volunteers worked on mulching the trees, picking up trash, and adding native plants to the garden. it sounds corny, but it feels so good giving back in these ways. the satisfaction of a job well done, whether that's in the form of a bag full of trash or a shiny new-looking bridge, is truly unparalleled. actually, i take that back— it is only paralleled by the free t-shirts that we got, hehe.
i also love the sense of community at these events. bonding with the other volunteers or receiving thanks from passersby made my heart swell; my favorite this weekend was the elderly man gently pulling his dog's leash, speaking first to his dog, "come on buddy, we gotta go around, they're painting your bridge!" then directing his words to us, "thanks for doing this, it looks great!"
if you have the means this holiday season, i encourage you to go out and volunteer too! maybe you'll feel your heart grow a few sizes just like me and my pal, the grinch ♡