BY MELISSA HOWELL
The holidays are often a time of joy, family, gratitude and much anticipation.
But for many, busy, hectic, overwhelming, non-stop, lonely and depressing are less-than-ideal words that nonetheless might define the reality of the holiday season.
“For some, the holidays are empty and meaningless,” says Haven Howell, M.D., Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Longmont. “One can add meaning by reaching out and doing something for another being. I have seen (volunteering) be helpful to people.”
The Longmont community offers a number of opportunities for people of all ages to provide volunteer service for others during the holidays, and throughout the year.
The Inn Between provides transitional housing and services for homeless individuals and families to help them achieve self-sufficiency. Volunteers can help in the after-school education center, provide maintenance and cleaning and help with events and seasonal tasks. In addition, donations are a beneficial way to become involved, and include such items as furniture and household items and monetary donations.
“We have approximately 110 people under our roof at any time,” says Pat Zietz, associate director of The Inn Between. “During the holidays, people can adopt a family, a student (16- to 19-year-olds who lives on their own) or a senior. For students and seniors, anything from a new computer to a pair of jeans or a gift card is meaningful. People often adopt families but forget about seniors and students who are alone. The volunteers help us give them a good holiday.”
To serve inside or outside the building, volunteers must be at least 15 years of age. However, children can get involved by decorating community areas or donating baked goods or other gift items to be distributed to residents.
“Any opportunity for children to go through their closet and find things to donate or buy new toys to donate is excellent. The younger children are exposed to the benefits of volunteering and serving others, the better,” Dr. Howell says.
“There are so many people alone at the holidays, we forget and get wrapped up in our own families,” Zietz says. “Just having someone reach out and say, ‘I care – here’s some cookies and cocoa,’ is a warm fuzzy. I can’t explain how much it means when someone remembers them and brings them something.”
The Longmont Humane Society offers year-round opportunities for volunteering, ranging from event help and shopping at its thrift store, to hands-on work with the animals through the TLC programs. TLC volunteers receive thorough training to work one on one with the animals in walking, holding and playing with the animals.
“Thanks to our volunteers, we can ensure that the dogs get out for three walks a day, seven days a week,” says Carrie Brackenridge, development coordinator at the Longmont Humane Society. “When it gets colder, we still need to get (the animals) out each and every day.
“In general, volunteering provides the opportunity to get outside of yourself and help another being, person or animal. It can be a real gift. The holidays can be emotionally charged. Volunteering can help you with whatever you are struggling with and provides a different perspective.”
Howell says, “Often for people who are depressed or feeling like they don’t have anything meaningful to do, an animal shelter is a great place (to volunteer). Animals can be less scary and don’t require as much interaction.”
The often-harsh winter season provides opportunities to help seniors through the city of Longmont Senior Services. The Snow Chaser volunteer program pairs up elderly or disabled citizens who qualify and are unable to shovel their own walks with volunteers who will take their time to help others comply with the city’s snow ordinance and keep sidewalks safe. The Bill Payer program provides an opportunity to monetarily contribute to help seniors and disabled citizens pay their bills.
“Neighbors helping each other, it makes such a big difference,” says Kari Grotting, volunteer coordinator at the Longmont Senior Center. “A lot of times people are afraid to talk to each other. It can be a way of breaking the ice.”
Outreach United Resource Center, Inc. (OUR Center) helps thousands of people in need throughout this region move toward self-sufficiency by unifying community resources. The OUR Center provides vital services, including a food pantry, daily hot meals, a clothing bank, a day shelter, a warming center and homelessness prevention programs. Additionally, the OUR Center operates Aspen Center for Child Development, which offers excellent childcare and school readiness programs to children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age.
The OUR Center has one-time or ongoing volunteer opportunities, and specific needs during the holiday season and winter months. Volunteers help in the warming center, serve as holiday bell ringers, “adopt” families for the holidays by providing cash or new items of warmth, or help with fundraising events.
“The OUR Center would never be able to provide all of the services it provides to the community without our volunteer corps,” says Christine Marckesano, communications director for the OUR Center. “We have as many as 1,000 volunteers a year who donate their time and talents to the OUR Center – some of whom have volunteered with us since the beginning (for 25 years). We believe that people feel good when they do good – and that is what volunteering is. Volunteering helps people feel connected to their community, and helps to give them unique perspective and compassion for others.
For our volunteers, it is also uplifting for them to know that they are making a difference both in the lives of individuals and in the community as a
whole.”
