Here's to Weathering

      

       The weather has been wonderful this week, in my eyes at least. I love the rain; I love the clouds, the wind and the cold. When i stepped out of my warm vehicle into the cold wet rain on Wednesday I felt like a kid again, wanting to run and jump into the first puddle I could get my feet into. I knew I would enjoy standing in the rain as i dished out bowls of soup, but I didn’t know what to expect from those waiting in the line wet and hungry. I thought there might be some hostility, some hatred and bitterness towards the cold. But, I didn’t hear any one complain about the weather. We all seemed to be enjoying out first storm of the season together, warm bowls of soup and hot tea in hand we continued on like it was any other day as the lightning lit up the sky around us. 

        As nice as the weather was to stand out in and watch the rain drops bring a new look to the dry desert around us, I realized I wouldn’t want to stand out in it all day. I loved being able to turn my heater on and warm up my feet on the drive back to my warm dry house. I realize that my love of the rain is in big part to the fact that i do not have to be in it, it is an option for me. However, for those numerous people that might not have an escape from the cold I had anticipated the opposite from their point of view, but they seemed to enjoy it as much as I did.

       It’s an easy thing to take what you have for granted on a daily basis. It’s easy to enjoy the rain storms and lightning from behind the windows of our heater blasting living rooms. Life and the many things we have in it are precious; our loved ones, our homes, our blankets, and our fuzzy socks. So, this week as we watch the wandering dark clouds that bring us that smell of the clean rain let remember to be happy for the many things we have.

Abriana Foster wrote on her expereince of volunteering with Soup and a Smile.

       The most amazing experience in the world is giving back to the community. Last Saturday, I was given the opportunity to feed the homeless with Phi Theta Kappa the honor society. Most people have forgotten that blessings are not materialistic in nature – they are simple and rare in our current society. Offering people sugar and cups for their coffee made me realize how fortunate I was to have the friends, family, and the place that I live in. It helped me to understand that it is best to appreciate what we do have and no matter how difficult things may become that it is necessary to have a great heart and to constantly give back to your community. I challenge everyone to pass on these beliefs so that the world can become a better place.

The Joy of Volunteering

     

        It’s a wide variety of volunteers we see every day at the Las Vegas catholic worker. You have the old and the young. There are grandparents, mothers, fathers, children, brothers and sisters, all types of family members. There are Students from CSN, UNLV, differing high schools, middle schools, and once in a while those in elementary. There are many different organizations, churches, charities, and service groups. There are bankers, retired principles, union workers, teachers, chefs, entrepreneurs, and even the domesticate housewives. There are volunteers from all walks of life, and it is apparent in their mannerisms, characteristics, vocabulary, and dress. But, there is one thing that brings them together; The hopes of doing something good, to share a smile, and wish to make a difference even if just for an hour, even if just to one person.  It’s great to see so many people come together and show kindness and love, especially because the many people in search of a hand or a warm meal come from all different walks of life as well. The people waiting in line with a smile every morning have done things and lived lives similar to the ones we are living, they just have stumbled, by choice or by circumstance, into something many of us have not nor will ever experience. 

        In the short amount of time it takes to help those around us that are in need we can learn many things about ourselves, about others, and about life. It is an eye opening experience and can open your mind to many things if you allow it to. Knowing that you are selflessly giving up less than an hour of your day to make a difference in the life or lives of others is a simple thing, and can be very rewarding.

       This month Shar Berroyer, Alpha Xi Beta's secretary and fulltime student shared her experience and what she thinks of volunteering with Las Vegas Catholic Worker.
 

       Soup and a Smile is an amazing event where the community can go help the Catholic Workers to serve food to the homeless.  I know that sounds very simple and like what a lot of people do but now I understand why.  You see, many of us take for granted the fact that we have homes. Many of us drive cars and we are able to pay for the insurance to do so. We know where our next meal is going to come from and we know how we are going to cook it. We also know that we have a warm bed waiting for us before we go to sleep each night. These people don’t, they don’t even know when they are going to be able to take a shower. Some people are there because they have issues and you just assume that they are unable to function in society. Some have been hit hard by the down fall of our great nation’s economy and some have just never been shown how to live. By sharing this small act of kindness it helps give them hope in a sometimes hopeless world. It is hard for me to describe how serving breakfast for these wonderful people makes me feel. It fills my heart with an amazing love for my fellow man. For me, I know that what I am doing is right and the time I spend helping these individuals is time well spent. I am a full time student, have a job and a family and like so many others I am crunched for time. In this instance time seems to go out the window and before I realize it breakfast is over and it is time to go clean up. The time I spend helping I have found does not cut into my study time or anything else that I need to do in my life. To see their smiles and to hear their “Thank you’s” is enough to bring me back week after week.



A Wanna be Photographer

Last Saturday was the infamous Pancake Day, and members of Phi Theta Kappa were there to help!

Here are a few pictures I was able to take.



Our wonderful Shar handing out nectarines.




Cynthia on chocolate milk duty!



The new loved tomato and cucumber salad.

Dustin and Abriana helping to sweeten up the coffee.

Smiles are always better!



Richard and Cynthia with chocolate milk in hand.





President Rains

     It's always fun to see if new volunteers are going to show up, and what experiences they can share with all of us volunteering with the Las Vegas Catholic Worker. We get new ideas and points of view from every volunteer and even from the many people we help out in the lines every morning. Some ideas can inspire and challenge us to want to do more, volunteer more often, come up with different ways to help others in our daily lives. But, the best thing about the ideas shared between volunteers is simply that, being able to hare our thoughts and opinions on things and feel like someone is actually listening, and that we can make a difference.

     This week's entry is from Phi Theta Kappa's Alpha Xi Beta's very own President Dustin Rains. He has done more volunteer work throughout his life than I hav room to write about in this blog entry. He strives to make a difference in the world, and in his community.

    

Were you meant to be a teacher? Were you meant to be a doctor? Were you meant to go to college? All of these decisions come back to the core point of having different opportunities. Some people are blessed with multiple opportunities in their lifetime; some don’t have it that easy.

Not everyone chooses to be homeless. People become homeless because of unemployment, death in the family or even a mental instability.

I’ve only attended Soup & a Smile on two occasions, each of them very different. As you arrive to the vacant lot on G Street and McWilliams, you start to wonder about each of the stories these folks have. What has happened to each of them? Why are they living on the streets? Is there an opportunity that you could lead them to?

I like the idea of Catholic Worker giving food to the homeless but I think the meals should be given along with other types of help.

Each day, Wednesday through Saturday, they see the same faces of people lining up for a good meal. If we continue to provide food without adding something to it, why would they ever change or turn their lives around? They have no reason to go and get a GED or apply for various programs if they aren’t given an incentive to do so.

My suggestion to Catholic Worker is to give out a hot meal every day. I’d be glad to help as much as I can. One morning a week before the meal, make them attend an information session on how to prepare the perfect resume or how to apply for different services they can qualify for and then provide them a great meal.

If people are forced to gain knowledge before they get a meal, will they show up and help themselves or will they allow themselves to starve?



You can't see his face, but thats Dustin handing out bags of candy.