Give Back to the Volunteers Who Give So Much! Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly Annual Volunteer Picnic

Location: Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly

Date: Sunday, June 02, 2013; 12:30-4:00 pm

I had cancelled my shift at the ‘Avon Walk Closing Ceremony’ to participate in this One Brick event.  There were two main reasons for this.  The first was the organization and reason why this event was being held.  According to the ‘Little Brothers’ website, “Since 1959, Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, Chicago Chapter’s mission, philosophy, programs and activities remain focused on alleviating loneliness among elders.  The need for social interaction is critical to the human spirit—we believe that nurturing the soul is as important as feeding the body.  And, while the number of elders served has grown by more than 35% in the last five years, our mission remains firm – to relieve isolation and loneliness among the elderly.”  There is no question that for this mission to succeed, ‘Little Brothers’ relies on their tireless volunteers.  Today’s event was their annual party to honor these volunteers.  One Brick would proudly serve those who serve others.  The second reason was that this party was themed as a 50s style event.  I mean, that should clinch the deal!

 

Even the flower arrangements were special

As I entered the facility, I could see this 50s theme prevalent everywhere, from LPs hanging off the ceiling, a giant Elvis and Marilyn cutouts, to the soda and ice cream stations, as well as the menu that was inspired from that era.  There was a regular group of One Brick volunteers such as Wilson, Tiffany, Rich and Irina.  Our guests weren't there yet and the first task was to decorate the place by placing balloons everywhere.  Speaking of balloons, there were various games that were planned, one of them being popping the balloons using darts.  It was misty and slightly chilly, but it seemed like the rain would stay away.  We moved the balloon game outside, along with some other games such as ring toss.  It truly was going to be a 50s carnival. 

Next, we got our 50s style serving hats as well as assignments.  Irina and I were going to be inside the kitchen and as we went in, we saw that several folks were already at work preparing the food.  We helped with cutting and arranging the grilled cheese sandwiches, but the guests had already started to arrive and now they needed servers for the hors d'oeuvres.  There was a wide selection, including celery with cream cheese or peanut butter, cheese and crackers, pigs in a blanket and mini PBJ sandwiches.  I started taking various trays outside and offering to our guests.  I alternated between the various options and one gentleman told me that he wanted to try everything that was on offer, and so I made it a point to stop by him each time I had a different tray.  The room was now buzzing with people and our appetizers were flying off the trays.  I looked around and saw One Brick volunteers at various stations such as coffee and soda as well as an ice cream root beer station!

The fabulous desserts

Once our appetizers were done, I was assigned the task of escorting people to the buffet.  Now, the buffet was also 50s inspired and consisted of grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, tater tots and fish sticks – not exactly something that would make a nutritionist happy.  If this is what they ate in the 50s, I failed to see how they would have been able to stay skinny!  People seemed to be finding their way to the buffet table without my help, so I went in and walked around the dining room.  One lady had difficulty in walking and asked if I could help prepare a plate for her.  I tried to do a good job with that and she seemed to be happy upon delivery.  I went back into the kitchen and started helping arrange the dessert in the serving trays.  This comprised of lemon cupcakes, some other pastry and cookies.  We had to arrange in 15 trays – corresponding to the number of tables outside – and it was a fun exercise, trying to ensure that there was equal distribution in each.  During this time I also got to talk to one of the founders of this organization.  She was from France and had met her husband years ago, when he started a similar program in France.  When they moved back to Chicago she had helped start the local chapter, and which was now a great success.  This, I could see for myself as I took the trays of dessert outside.  

Serving those who serve

All the volunteers of ‘Little Brothers’ were now enjoying themselves through hoola hoops, twist, dancing to Macarena or having ice cream floats.  Many were outside, playing games.  Wilson was in charge of the balloon pop and handing out beanie babies as a prize.  He mentioned that some of them were collectors’ items and worth as much as $80 on eBay.  And to think that I had been collecting movies!  People were quite competitive at this game and I had to stay well out of the range of darts for my own safety.  I helped run the ring toss station for a bit, but soon people were starting to disperse.  I started the clean-up job at the buffet station by taking some of the stuff back to the kitchen.  We tried to get the room as clean as possible and before we left for the day, the organizers gave us all a cup full of candy from the 50s.  It has been a wonderful party and a privilege.  It seems ages since my first article, where I said that I had started volunteering with the intention of meeting heroes.  Not only have I had a chance to meet hundreds of heroes during my travels, today I actually got to serve them.  Because even Superman needs an occasional pat on the back.  

Super Saturday III: Avon Walk – Wellness Village

Location: Horner Park

Date: Saturday, June 01, 2013; 3:30-5:45 pm

Pit Stop for the night

Wilson dropped me off at Horner Park and as I looked around, I spotted a lot of Pink banners and a giant pink arch welcoming the walkers to ‘Avon Wellness Village’.  The walkers had just started arriving after their 26 mile walk and a lot of cheerleaders were welcoming them with thunderous applause, something that they truly deserved.  Speaking of thunderous, I was glancing nervously at the threatening clouds as I checked-in with Devon, who welcomed me back.  I had signed-up to help in ‘Tent Hospitality’, such as with the food or other activities, but Devon assigned me to ‘Tent Angel’, which had nothing to do with me being the resident's guardian angel, but was the helping people build their tents for the night.  Now, I have never gone camping or stayed in a tent, let along pitch one.  This was probably not going to go well, but in the spirit of trying new things, I said yes.

I walked around the camp and it truly was a village.  There was a huge tent for food, a medical area, as well as sponsors areas which had massage tents, yoga and other recovery activities to relive the stress of the long walk.  While this side of the village was to help the walkers relax, the other side was a field where they would be spending the night.  There were rows upon rows of pink tents that had already been pitched, through there were several spots still vacant.  I went over to the area where the walker’s luggage was assembled along with bags of tents.  It looked like an airport baggage claim area and when the walkers arrived, they would go and pick-up their luggage, which had already been delivered separately, and would be assigned a tent number.  Then, one or two volunteers would carry their bags along with the tent to their allocated area and then put the tent up for them.  The idea was that we were to do everything to make the walkers comfortable after their long day.  Plus, they still had another 13 miles of walk remaining tomorrow.

The tents that we had to assemble

One of the ladies took a few volunteers into the fields to show us how to assemble a tent.  It had rained heavily overnight and the field was a bit soggy.  As we made our way around the puddles and the wet grass, I was hoping that the rains would stay away, because the last things any of these walkers needed was a miserable night.  The lady opened the tent bag and showed us the various components, including stakes, flexible frames, hooks and the actual pink tent.  She told us that the first task was to identify the front of the tent and line it up with the other tents in the row.  Then we were to put the four stakes in and raise the flexible frame up and attach to hooks.  We were then to pass another frame across the top and secure the tarp on the tent, which was held up by the tension.  It looked simple, if we remembered to follow the exact steps, but as with other things, knowledge on paper is useless you do it yourself. 

The rain coming down on the village

I came back to the base and waited for walkers.  I was allocated a buddy, Shin, who would be working as my partner.  A couple had arrived and Shin and I were up.  We carried the bags to their allocated spot and then after a few minor missteps, had the tent up.  As were walking back, a lady said that the insides of her tent were completely wet, including her stuff inside.  This was a big shame and we told her that we would put up a new one for her.  We got a new tent and after taking her old one down, put the new one up.  Unfortunately it was at this moment that the rains arrived and all of us got totally soaked.  We tried to get her tent as dry as possible, but the damage to her bedding had already been done.  She knew that, but was still smiling and looked happy to be here.  We went back to the ‘Tent Angel’ area and now the rain was on and off.  Shin disappeared, but the people were still coming.  I helped another couple carry their bags and helped them get the tent up, though now the pouring rain was not our only issue; since the wind was blowing hard.  Some of the tents were taking a real pounding and we knew when we were beaten.  All of us retreated to the food tent and watched the rain come down. 

It was really the walkers who were the superstars

It was truly miserable out there and I was dripping. Plus, my fatigue was catching up with me. However, around me the people looked content.  There was a sense of accomplishment amongst them and they were enjoying their dinner after what must have been an exhausting day.  I was supposed to be here till 8:30 pm, but the rain looked relentless and we would be doing the tents a disservice by putting them up at this stage, since they were sure to get wet on the inside.  At 5:45, with no sign of the rain stopping, I made a decision to leave.  I was tired and was sure that in this state I would be no good to anyone, especially since we had no idea how long we would have to wait.  So for the first time since I had started volunteering, I left my post before the time was up.  I tried in vain to search for a cab, but eventually got into a bus. And then the rain went away and sun came out!  This made me even more ashamed that I had given up.  The people in that village had come a long way today – literally.  And now they would have to put up tents and faced a prospect of a very wet night.  But their spirits endured and it was no surprise, since it takes a certain character to do things like the ‘Avon Walk’.  I may have had a ‘Super Saturday’, but between the walkers and the kids in the band, there was no question who the real heroes were. 

  

Super Saturday II: Help Out Chicago's Youngest Rockstars! Stars Of Tomorrow Youth Music Festival

Location: Humboldt Park Boathouse

Date: Saturday, June 01, 2013; 10:30 am-1:30 pm

I spent the time between projects at a coffee shop and then took a bus to Humboldt Park.  I was crossing the road to get to the park when I passed by a car with a familiar driver.  I stopped, and got in and only then did Wilson realize that I had joined him in the car.  He had in fact convinced me to come for this One Brick event, when I was supposed to be doing another Chicago Cares project where we were going to the zoo. Now, that would have been awesome as well, but then I read the following description on the One Brick website: “The Intonation Workshop presents the 3rd Annual Stars of Tomorrow Youth Music Fest! This day-long indoor/outdoor musical extravaganza is perfect for the whole family and features a stellar line-up of 15 young pop groups, sets from Future Hits and Psalm One, and lots of great activities for all who attend.”  Well, I was going to get to watch kids in a battle of the bands.  Zoo could wait.

Outside the building

We parked the car and then walked through the park over to the location.  Inside we found that our Event Manager Laura was already there, along with Rich, who is a regular and other volunteers, Tracy, Angie, Jill, Matt and Sonal.  Hannah, the site coordinator came and told us that she had 3 tasks for us: First was at the ‘Style Zone’, which included face painting, temporary tattoos and essentially helping the band members with their rock star styling.  Next was ‘Instrument Petting Zoo’, which was an area where kids could come and play some instruments and finally, ‘Band Hospitality’, which was the backstage ‘green room’, where bands got ready.  The ‘Style Zone’ was right in the room where the bands would be playing and since it involved getting the bands ready, it was the most popular task and was picked by almost everyone.  That left the other two and since I cannot play an instrument to save my life, I picked the ‘green room’, along with Sonal and Rich.

The t-shirt station

Inside the ‘green room’ there were two main tasks.  First there was a snack station where kids could come and get a snack bag and there was a t-shirt counter.  Rich took over at the snack bags station while Sonal and I would be by the t-shirts.  The t-shirts were for the band members with the caveat that they either return them before leaving, or purchase for $5.  Another awkward situation with t-shirts for me to deal with!  There wasn’t much activity at the t-shirt section since the band members were either going to be using their own designs or had already obtained these shirts.  There were some takers for the snack bag, though with the healthy initiative for kids, there was nothing in the bag that I wanted for myself. 

The bands were on a schedule and while one group was performing, the other one was in our ‘green room’.  Their music instructors were with them going over the last minute instructions.  I chatted with one such instructors of a band called ‘Psycosmix’, who was getting his kids pumped up.  I went over and asked the kids who was playing what and learned that they were performing two songs and most of them would be switching roles from one song to another.  Soon it was their time to go on stage and I wished them luck.  Since the traffic was slow, I went outside and joined the rest of our team at the ‘Style Zone’.  I got a small temporary tattoo saying “Pump volume to 11”, though I do not know if the kids would get the significance of that reference.  Wilson was going all out and had got the painting lady to draw a skeleton on the outside of his arm and also got a flaming tattoo followed by a One Brick painting on his other arm. 

The Schedule

I could now watch the performing area and ‘Psycosmix’ was on.  It was fantastic, not because the kids were performing at the highest musical level.  In fact, they were singing and playing out of tune; but were having a great time doing so.  They were completely involved and behaving like true rock stars.  They gave us a great show, and I would much rather be here to see this than at a professional concert.  The rest of our One Brick team was getting the next group ready with their body art and two other girls had managed to get their hands on balloon swords and were mock fighting.  I asked them to ‘knight’ me and bowed down as one of them put the sword over my head and shoulders.  It was a great time for all, the performers as well as the others in attendance.

I kept checking on the t-shirt station and while some actually bought the shirt, there wasn’t much to do there.  I walked over to the ‘Instrument Petting Zoo’, which was in a gymnasium where some kids sized instruments like drums set, guitars and keyboards were set-up for anyone to come and practice.  I went back to my room and Rich was busy cleaning up after the most recent group, who was now performing.  Wilson joined us and we chatted about this project, which is an after school program that allows kids to build confidence and self-esteem.  According to Intonation Music Workshop’s website, “The Intonation Music Workshop empowers children to become rock stars on every stage in life through innovative music education.  Using donated instruments and a unique pop-band curriculum, their after-school and summer music program provides kids age 6-17 in Chicago’s undeserved communities with access to instruction and performance opportunities in a safe and positive environment, sparking for many a life-changing sense of accomplishment and belonging.  Students learn to express themselves musically, at the same time developing essential life skills such as cooperation, practice, risk-taking, and setting and meeting goals.”  It is another heroic way in which the community is being served.

It had been a great event

Soon our time was up and another group came to relieve us.  Wilson was the EC for the event, but considering I was soon to have my own event, asked me to choose a place to go for lunch with the group.  The group was just us, Rich and Tracy.  I found one place nearby and through some faulty directions; we had to walk all the way around the park to reach it.  Tracy, who I had met at another event, asked Wilson and me about Chicago Cares and we learned that Rich was a super volunteer in his own right and ran a youth center for kids whose parents were either absent or showed limited interest; and has been doing so for several years.  We talked about my morning at the Avon project and Wilson was going to drop me at the ‘Wellness Village’ for my afternoon shift. 

As I got into Wilson’s car, I mentioned that my phone was running out of juice, especially since I had been out since very early and to my least surprise, Wilson had an iPhone charged, even though he doesn’t use one.  When asked why he had one, he mentioned something about being prepared for all emergencies.  He asked me how I felt this program compared with ‘CircEsteem’ in terms of building the kids confidence and esteem.  I said that both are invaluable, though I thought today’s program was more special.  ‘CircEsteem’ requires a lot of skill and concentration.  When I saw the performance a few months ago, the kids were "in the zone" and could be mistaken for professionals.  That was great and their self-belief is something that will help the kids in their future life.   On the other hand, the kids performing today were just having fun and not worrying too much if they were in tune or not.  Their confidence was through the roof and there’s something to be said about that spirit.  I had enjoyed myself and wished that the level of energy that they displayed would inspire me to get through my next project. 

Super Saturday I: Avon Walk – Opening Ceremony

Location: Soldier Field

Date: Saturday, June 01, 2013; 4:30-8:00 am

I had heard about ‘Avon Walk’ through a buddy who had done this in New York; and when I saw that Chicago was going to have one as well, I wanted to participate as a volunteer.  This walk, to raise money and awareness for breast cancer, is spread over 39 miles and two days.  I had spent an evening at the offices a few months ago, helping out with the preparations, and had then signed-up for multiple shifts, including one at the Opening Ceremony.  I had also signed up for an afternoon shift at the ‘Wellness Village’, which was the place where the walkers would spend the night after 26 miles of walking on Day 1, as well as the Closing Ceremony on Sunday.  However, I cancelled the Sunday shift due to a One Brick project, but was still supposed to do two shifts this Saturday - separated by another One Brick project.  Now that’s what constitutes a ‘Super Saturday’ in my book. 

Soldier Field: Pre-dawn

I have been to Soldier Field several times over the last month, but never had I arrived there at 4:30 am.  Seriously, if I kept this up, I would be in line for a pass to the ‘Bears’ locker room!  It was still dark, but I spotted some activity going on in the field outside the stadium and after a few inquiries, found my way to the volunteer’s tent.  I checked in with our Volunteer coordinator Devon and while I was doing so, noticed a mom who was trying to get her teenage son allocated to traffic control duties.  The organizers were trying to place him elsewhere, but she insisted that he get that job since his heart was set on it and she had specifically asked for that assignment.  I was amused by all of this, but more on him later. 

The barricades around the stage

The first task Devon allocated me was to work with a group to arrange tables on the green.  These were big and heavy and with the help of a buddy, we got a few set up.  Next, she wanted us to carry some tables to the VIP tent, which was in a different field across the road.  It was a bit of commute, but me and my partner grabbed a table and were on our way.  I learned that my new friends name was Augusta and she and I got along quite well.  After a few huffs and puffs we arrived at the VIP tent and set the table.  This was also the area where the stage was for the opening ceremony and they wanted our help in setting up barricades on either side of the stage in long rows.  The idea was to create an area for people to assemble in front of the stage, while trying to maintain some order.  This appeared to be an easy task since the barricades were quite light and all we had to do was stand them up and open the feet.  We soon realized that it wasn’t that easy since it had rained overnight and the grass was wet, along with the barricades and our hands.  This made opening the legs quite a task and Augusta and I were struggled with a few of the barricades.  It was time consuming and tiring, but we managed to put up all the barricades on our side of the field and were ready to move to our next task.

It was around 6 am and people had started arriving for the walk.  The organizers wanted to keep the roads around the stadium clear and that mean traffic control.  Augusta and I were deployed with other volunteers along the road and told to ensure that cars kept moving and were not stopping to let off passengers.  We were to wave them on and tell them to keep going towards the parking lot that was further down the street.  This wasn’t always easy since many cabs were stopping irrespective of our requests.  However these visitors had not counted on the kid whom I had seen in the morning.  His mom had insisted on him getting the traffic duty and now we saw why.  He was as passionate a volunteer as I have ever witnessed and was terrific in conducting his duties.  He was waving the cars like a real traffic cop and was being forceful and decisive in implementing the law.  Whenever people questioned him, he would point to his bright orange traffic vest and wave them on.  Augusta and I both admired his energy and knew that while he was around, most of the drivers would follow the rules. 

The Opening Ceremony was underway

Well, most did, but it became more difficult to regulate as we got closer to the start and the crowd increased.  Plus, many walkers were crossing the road and when cars stopped to let them pass, people took advantage of this to get out.  At the end of the day, everyone was here to support the cause and have fun and while keeping the traffic moving was important, I wasn’t going to fault people for getting off at the crossing.  However, one guy came and parked his car in the middle of the road and when I went over to ask him to move, he pointed towards his press pass.   I failed to see how him having a press pass would make it convenient for other cars to go through, but there was little I could do if he had decided to abuse his press privileges.  During this time I did come across some friendly people, including a lady who asked Augusta and me where the start line was.  I asked around and pointed it out to her and she said that she wanted to be at the head of the line, so that she could be one of the first to arrive at the ‘Wellness Village’ and get a massage!  Considering it was 26 miles, I thought that she could make up for time, but she had done the walk in the past and I wasn’t going to argue against experience. 

The walkers, ready to go

As I looked around, it truly was a festive occasion and many people had come dressed in brilliant shades of pink or with colorful accessories.  We even saw a guy who rode by on a Harley Davidson and who had decorated his bike like a float to honor the cause.  We also had a front row seat to watch the opening ceremony that was getting underway on the stage in front of us.  It started with the Master-Of-Ceremonies leading the participants through warm-up routine and it was wonderful to see all of them follow the stretching exercises in unison.  Then we heard stories from survivors, some of whom had come a long way to walk.  Everyone gave their reasons for walking and just being a part of this moment had made the early morning wake-up call worthwhile.  The final thing on the opening ceremony agenda was an announcement that the event this year had raised $5.2 Million.  With a huge cheer upon hearing this, the walkers set off on their long trail, though I knew that I would see them in a few hours. 

Augusta and I went and helped with some of the wrap-up routine, including storing the tables which we had arranged earlier that morning.  As we walked back to the train station, we got chatting and I found out that she was from Lithuania and was studying for pre-med.  We talked about our respective volunteering experiences, with her having done this event last year as well.  One of the other things I learned about her was her volunteering work with psychiatric patients, where she goes and sings Acapella, as a form of music therapy.   Now, through my volunteering activities I have come across some remarkable people with some fantastic stories.  But this was one of the most ennobling things that I have heard and I instantly felt privileged to have worked with her today.  Before we said goodbye we both agreed that it would be great if we could actually do the walk the following year, especially since there was a discount for volunteers.  It was 8 am and while many were just waking up this Saturday morning, I was off to find a coffee shop to wait for my next project. 

Dinner At La Casa Norte

Location: Solid Ground Supportive Housing Program

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2013; 5:45-7:45 pm

La Casa Norte is a service agency that helps youth and families that are faced with homelessness.  It is also located a bit far from my workplace and so I was scrambling to get there on time.  This was compounded by the fact that I could not hail a cab.  I wanted to call Karen, our Volunteer leader and let her know that I was running late, but did not have her cell phone number.  There was only one way to resolve this and so I asked Wilson to provide me with her contact information and sure enough, he sent it to me.  I left a message for her and headed there in a cab, arriving 10 minutes late.  Karen was briefing the rest of the volunteers in a conference room and I noticed Tash and Meredith, from Chicago Cares, as well as two other volunteers – Richard and Catrina.  The first thing I noticed about Karen was her enthusiasm and I always like seeing that in our leaders.

Mmm brownies!

We were inside the residence of the young folk who reside there and went up to the kitchen and dining room.  While Richard and Catrina worked on the meat, which was steak tips, and while Tash and Meredith were going to work on the salad and corn, respectively, Karen asked if I could make the brownies.  Well now, I have had a long career of consuming brownies, but never make them.  I told Karen about that and she said that it was better since I would be doing something for the first time.  She told me to follow the instructions on the box, which included mixing 19.5 Oz of Pillsbury mix with ¼ cup water, ½ cup oil and 2 eggs.  I had to go searching for measuring cups for water and oil, but soon had the ingredients in the bowl.  Next step was mixing through 50 strokes.  Not 49, not 51, but 50 strokes.  Now, I know that baking is an exact science when it comes to measurements, but this was taking it to the extreme!  I kept track in my head and soon had a gooey batter which I spread on a baking pan, which was going into the oven for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.  Encouraged by my success, I proceeded to do another box and once done, added the mix to the existing pan and put it in the oven.  Then I set the timer in my phone for 30 minutes.  Throughout this process, Karen was most encouraging and almost like a cheerleader.

Throughout our cooking sessions, almost all of the residents had assembled in the garden outside and were chatting amongst themselves.  One however was helping Tash with salad, and was doing so with some commendable dedication.  He was chatting with her and asking questions, something I though the other kids should have been doing as well.  One other kid came and sat at the table, eating a big bowl of cereal.  I mentioned that he was going to kill his appetite and his response was that he was 18 and could handle a snack like this before a meal.  Touché!  Since my brownies were still in the oven, I started wiping down the dining table and getting it ready for dinner.  Karen also asked me to drop the corn cobs into the boiling water and periodically watch them as they cooked. 

I chatted with Meredith, who works in ‘Youth In Service’ program of Chicago Cares.  We talked about the program and some of the others.  Karen joined us to promote ‘Hunger Walk’, happening next month and in which I am participating with ‘Breaking Bread Ministries’.  I was periodically checking on the corn as well as the brownies with a fork and it was apparent that they would take some additional time to cook than what was on the box, perhaps owing to the unpredictable temperature inside the oven.  The kitchen also has two big freezers full of chicken nuggets and two big refrigerators full of milk and eggs.  Considering that there are 16 residents in the house, it almost looked like each of them had their own groceries.  I went outside for a brief moment and all the boys were doing their own thing, some listening to music and others chatting.  I felt that some of them could have been inside, participating in the cooking activities.  Having been to ODS, which is a similar shelter, my expectation was that the residents would be engaged and in doing so learn something from the rest of us and our life experiences.  I texted to Wilson about this and said that the impact for this program was minimum without their participation.  

All done

The corn and brownies were finally done and I pulled them out and we took them to the table.  Our duties at that stage were done and it was time to leave. Karen offered to give me a ride to the train station and it gave us a chance to discuss my concerns about the model of this program.  I mentioned that volunteering should not be so that all of us feel good about contributing to the society, but also should be about us making an impact and how can we make an impact if the clients are not involved?  Karen agreed with some of my points and said that while Chicago Cares had suggested some changes to Solid Ground; the organization had pushed back, saying this is what they wanted.  She said that she would communicate my feedback to Chicago Cares and hopefully things will change in the future. 

Later that night, I exchanged more texts with Wilson and he was trying to communicate that the objective of program was for Chicago Cares to go in and take over the cooking responsibilities for one evening so that Solid Ground staff doesn't have to.  So we were serving them, rather than the residents.  I get that point, but why not ‘enhance’ this by adding mentoring.  I mean, we are already here.  Why can’t we get two additional volunteers who can spend time with the youth talking about jobs and careers while the other cook.  Or else get them to participate and teach them self-reliance.  One point I heard is that most of these kids do not have a family, or a mother to cook for them and we are fulfilling that role of treating them to a home cooked meal.  It is an excellent point and a poignant one as well.  But parents don’t just feed the children; they educate and prepare them for the world.  I am sure we could do that as well if given a chance.  

Read –With-Me At HGS

Location: House Of The Good Shepherd

Date: Tuesday, May 28, 2013; 6:20-7:30 pm

It had been a long time since I had been to HGS and I arrived at the location to find our Volunteer leader Michelle, whom I had met at One Brick leadership training, was there along with other volunteers.  Marc, whom I had met at this project before, is a regular and often shows up for this one without signing-up.  Marc has been to almost all Chicago Cares projects and like Wilson, is a volunteer superstar with the organization.  HGS has two ‘Read With Me’ programs on Tuesday’s, one for younger kids and one for slightly older ones, which I was going to participate in.  Our program had excess of people, so one volunteer moved over to help out with the junior program.  The rest of us made our way to the reading room.

Like other children’s programs, HGS has a fabulous play room with bright colors and a welcoming interior.  The kids came in and Michelle asked them to choose a volunteer to pair up with.  Since there were more adults than kids, everyone got picked except me and another volunteer, Janice.  One more kid came and Michelle asked him to close his eyes, turn around and point.  His finger was directed towards Janice, leaving me without a child to read with.  So while the rest of the party retired to side of the room to read, I started helping Michelle prepare for the arts and crafts activity that was to follow - making flying fish from tissue paper.  Michelle wanted me to cut strips of double-sided tape and then string that was going into making of the flying fish.  As Michelle and I worked on the supplies, I pointed out that all the kids were different than he ones I had met during my previous visit.  She mentioned that since HGS was a temporary shelter for women and they had to move out within 2-3 months, meaning the kids left with them. 

The reading seemed to be proceeding well and the kids seemed to be working with their adult partner.  There was an older boy who was reading by himself and Michelle said that he preferred it so; which considering his age, I could understand.  I saw Marc quizzing the kid he was with on something they had read in the book.  Janice and her kid were done with the reading and were about to start their arts and crafts and I went and joined them.  The boy was excited to be making the flying fish and was especially interested in putting the eyes on it.  He wanted them to be blue and so I helped cut out blue circles, trying to achieve some semblance of symmetry.  It was this time that Michelle came and asked if I would mind playing a game with the older kid who had been reading.

It had been a long time

 I walked with him to the games cabinet and he picked a game ‘Sorry’, something which I remembered playing ages ago as a kid myself.  As we opened the board and set the pieces, all the memories of playing this with my dad and with some other friends came back to me.  It has been years, decades, since I had last seen this, but just like a distant image through a mist, I could see myself playing the game all those years ago. The kid explained the rules to me and then we were off.  He was a good strategist and initially had me smoked.  Soon I got hooked and started making some progress with my pieces.  The chase was well and truly on and this is one of those games where fortunes can change all the time.  What seemed like a lost cause was now in my favor and we were neck and neck.  The tension was palpable and it was a game of inches, which he won with my last piece being one step away from glory.  It was a well fought game and we shook hands like men who had earned the other person’s respect. 

While the others wrapped up, we both got an opportunity to chat.  I learned that he was in 6^th grade and liked Math as a subject.  He loved movies and when I asked which types, he said action and comedy.  I asked about his favorite stars and he mentioned people like Stallone and Van Damme.  I said that he was recounting the stars of ‘The Expendables’, a movie which he loved.  He said that he had gone to see the movie with his family, including his 8 year old sister – so much for parental guidance!  I asked him whether she liked any part of the movie and he said that she slept for most of the time, which considering the noise in the film is quite a feat!  For the rest of the time we talked about our favorite action movies and stars such as Bruce Willis and Jason Statham.  As I said goodbye to him, I told him that next time we would play ‘Sorry’ again and that I would beat him.  He seemed eager for me to come back and this means that I had made an unspoken promise to return…something that I hope I am able to keep soon.

Inspiration Cafe

Location: Inspiration Cafe

Date: Sunday, May 26, 2013; 4:00-7:00 pm

I arrived at the location right on time and the person who opened the door was someone whom I had met at the ‘Green Festival’ last weekend and had in fact accompanied him for his Hybrid car test drive.  We chatted about his experience with the car and would have done so for more time, but the cooking had already started and I was required.  The other people in attendance were Noel and Tash, whom I knew, and a married couple as well as our Volunteer leader Mark.  This is one place where you have to contribute a lot towards cooking and I could see that Noel was chopping a lot of cabbage for coleslaw.  I asked Mark for my duties and he requested that I peel potatoes.  Well, you've got to start somewhere!

Somewhere under the water are the peeled potatoes

As I started with the peeling, it was quite apparent that I was no good at it.  Either that or the peeler was bad, as stated by Dave, who was volunteering with his wife.  He joined me in peeling and while I changed to a peeler that was better, he was still way ahead of me in terms of potatoes peeled.  The task did give us time to converse and I learned that both, he and his wife were retired teachers who used to live and work in the suburbs, but had now moved back into the city.  They volunteer with Inspiration Café a lot and come every week, outside of the Chicago Cares project as well.  Between the two of us we peeled all the potatoes and they went into the boiling liquid, while Mark made a dressing for the potato as well as the coleslaw salad.  Soon the potatoes were done, and I worked with Tash in mixing each of the salads, following which we moved them into the refrigerator. 

And now they are a salad

Tonight’s menu was burgers, and Mark wanted us to cook them just before the service at 6 pm.  This gave us some time to chat, and Noel told Tash and me about her leadership training with Chicago Cares.  She is going to be leading my favorite program, ‘Paint The Town Red’, and I cannot think of a better person for that job than her.  Around 5:40 pm, Mark asked us to come back to the kitchen to prep for dinner.  While Tash took over the dining room duties with Dave and his wife, Mark and Noel worked on the plating station.  That meant that I was in charge of flipping burgers.  It was quite simple and all I had to do was take frozen burgers and place them on the griddle and cook.  Mark told me not to press the burgers since that releases the juices and makes them dry.  This was against my instinct to pat the burgers, but I stayed disciplined.  I have seen enough cooking shows to know that to get the best and juiciest burgers one needs to steam them under a cover, but that was not going to happen here where speed was of the essence. 

Cheeseburgers

There were 14 burgers at a time on the griddle and once I was done with one batch, Mark told me to make cheeseburgers next, which meant putting a slice of cheese on top of the burgers as they cooked.  The cheese was frozen as well and removing the slices without breaking them was a challenge.  But things were progressing well and soon we started serving.  Behind me, Mark was assembling the burger as per order while Noel was adding salad to the plate.  While I thought I was done at 6, the cheeseburgers were flying off the serving station, which meant that I had to make some more of those.  One of our guests was a vegetarian and wanted a grilled cheese sandwich instead, at which I took a pan, added oil and tried my best not to burn the sandwich…well the second time at least.  One of the staff members came and added some onions to the griddle since he wanted them caramelized for his cheeseburger.  Hey, the man knows his sandwich!

And the one who made them!

Soon we were done and even the dessert, which was brownies and ice cream, had been served.  I sat down in the kitchen with others and tasted the salad, which was excellent.  Many guests stopped by to offer their praises.  Mark had been a wonderful leader and I had enjoyed working with him and told him that I looked forward to returning.  Before we left, my friend from ‘The Green Festival’ told Noel, Tash and I that we could start our own group to volunteer over here outside of Chicago Cares.  I told Noel to take the initiative, now that she was a trained leader, and I would follow.  We chatted for some time and then I left.  Every parent tells their kids to get a college degree so that they do not end up in a fast food restaurant, flipping burgers for a living.  I had gotten all the degrees I could get, but had done the exact same job this afternoon.  While I had been proud to do so as a volunteer, even otherwise I do not see any shame in this profession.  It is a honest way to make a living and there is something noble about feeding people - whether it is at Inspiration Café or at some gourmet restaurant.  Though I know where I am going to have more fun.