Give and Gain

I've been meaning to post this all weekend....but the weather was great and kept me outdoors....before I knew it...time got away from me and it was Tuesday....

The day: Friday, 16th May 2014 

Occasion: National Give and Gain day

In the UK, give and gain day is a day when employees give up their day jobs to volunteer in community projects. 

The weather was the best it had been in a very long time.  Myself and a few colleagues left the office just after 9 am to make a contribution to this great cause. For some people this was the first time doing a volunteer project and there was some nervousness on what to expect. The journey to the site where we would be working seemed short and before long we were being briefed on the project.

Our task: to clean up a children's play area within grounds of the community centre. 

The equipment showed signs of years of neglect. Algae covered the climbing frames, floor and equipment. We had a huge task ahead of us but we didn't know it - we had underestimated the effort required. At first we were optimistic, there was pleasant banter as we worked and all seemed great until the muscles started taking strain and the sun wasn't as kind...

Signs of frustration, fatigue and annoyance started to rear it's ugly head. But that's to be expected when people have never worked with each other before. Some struggled to maintain high spirits and energy. 

There were times when I got frustrated and thought,  "why don't the people in the community get involved and take pride in the community in which they live?"  Then I remembered the kids who would benefit from my efforts and that set me straight again.

A couple of teenagers walked passed us and laughed at the work we were doing. It annoyed me at first but then I thought about their immaturity and dismissed their ignorance. My only hope is that the example they now laughed at, would resonate in their minds in later years and inspire them to do the same.

After we had washed all the algae off the equipment, we applied two coats of wood stain. We continued with the other tasks before us and eventually finished. Although we were all exhausted, we felt a sense of pride and accomplishment when we surveyed all that was done. 

The gain: For me personally, I got to work with people I hadn't worked with before. Volunteering gives me time to reflect on my own life and the things I take for granted. At one point I needed to direct someone to do something so there were opportunities to exercise communication skills and take the lead in situations. Above all, the sense of achievement, pride and general goodwill go a long way in nurturing our souls with positive energy.

Was is worth it? Absolutely! 

Although the journey back seemed long and dreary and I woke up with aching muscles the next day, it was worth all of the effort. I just think of the smiles that will light little faces when they play on clean equipment and it makes my heart glad.   

I only wish I had taken a photo before we began working to give you a glimpse of what we had accomplished.