Who are you and how do you volunteer at the LSCO?
My name is Lynn Benjamin, and I am a greeter, and I understand I was the first greeter to sign up, and I’m really enjoying it.
It’s been great fun and it suited me and suits me fine. I’m mobile challenged. So I can just sit there and talk to people, and I’m getting to know them so well.
They’re lining up and we talk, and I have to help with the computer and the sitting on the other side. So I’m up and down. It’s good for me. I get up and do.
So what would a typical greeter shift look like for you?
Okay, I would get here about half an hour early to try and set up and set things up and get my, my ID, and, see what’s see what’s on for lunch and then find somebody to do it for me because my writing is horrible. And, I’m just starting to greet people. “Good morning. How are you? How is your day? How’s the weather?”
I love it. I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve run into a number of people who I knew as a child or, you know, so it’s nice to see them again. Some of them recognize me, and I don’t recognize them. Some of them I recognize, and they don’t know who I am, except that I wear my name. And it’s been delightful. I’ve really enjoyed it.
Do you have a specific memory or experience from volunteering?
It’s just the people that I know. And, the hugs that I get from some of them-those are delightful.
How do you feel like volunteering makes a difference for others?
Volunteering is critical. And from a volunteer’s perspective, you know, it gives me a chance to get out and get out and meet other people. I think I’m doing something that’s useful. It sure beats sitting at home doing nothing, and I’m enjoying it. And it’s being around people, and there’s not a lot of demands. And having worked, you know, you have to live up to a certain standard or beyond, and you don’t have to worry about it because you’re a volunteer. And if I can’t, if I can’t make it, I have no qualms about phoning and saying, you know, I can’t come today. So there’s all kinds of positives. And it’s not every day, all day, every day. And the same thing. No, it’s a great way to, to get out and do something.
Have you learned anything about yourself through volunteering?
I’m learning all the time. If I’m not learning, I don’t want to do it. I started looking at the possibility of doing income tax. I got all that set up and said, I don’t want to do that anymore.
But in terms of learning, learning how different organizations function or don’t, whichever the case might be, and working, you know, pulling it all together and using, finding the resources outside that I can bring in as well. So, volunteering is a great thing to do.
How has volunteering impacted your life?
Most of my days, I really don’t get moving till noon. You know, there’s getting dressed. There’s dealing with household things and things like that, but when I’m on at nine in the morning and I want to be here at 830 to get things set up, I have to get up and get out.
So it’s a good move for me. It’s getting me moving as opposed to sitting in there and saying, well, what am I going to do today? It’s great. And so that’s been really good for me. What I’ve learned it, it’s incredible working for organizations that keep changing. And you’ve got to keep up with that. And it’s, it’s just fascinating. So I’m always learning. If I wasn’t learning, I wouldn’t want to do it.
So what would you say to somebody who is thinking about volunteering but hasn’t maybe taken that first step?
The first thing that we should all do is to find something we want to do and that we all feel comfortable doing. You’re not volunteering for the sake of volunteering. You’re giving, but you’re also receiving. And if it’s something that you’re not impressed with or something you don’t want to do it – it’s a job. It’s work. And, hey, if you’re volunteering, it’s not work. And as a career counselor, which is one of the things I did in my other life, it also lays the groundwork for developing your own ambitions. What you want to do, what you don’t want to do.
So I think volunteering has a lot of positives, a lot of good things. And a few negative ones. But you can leave those behind because you’re volunteering. You don’t have to worry about the paycheck. You’re not going to get it anyway.
Why do you think volunteering is important? Especially in organizations like ours.
I don’t think we could function without it. I mean, if you take a look at it and I don’t know the numbers, but, I’m sure there’s more volunteers. And there are staff. I hope so. And, this place, you know, it’s a community service in a lot of ways. It wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the fact that we have volunteers.
And if we didn’t have volunteers, no one could afford it. So it’s, you’d have to find sponsorship in one way or another. So it’s critical. Yeah, absolutely.
Do you have any last thoughts or things you want to share about volunteering or your experience volunteering here or in general?
The biggest thing is, is making sure it’s something that you want to do as opposed to just putting time in, and you’ve got to have a reason for doing it, because if you don’t have a reason for doing it, you’re no good to yourself and you’re no good to anybody else.