Volunteer of the Week: Camille Harley

"I am actually very new to volunteering. I recently decided to start volunteering in order to have a more positive effect on the world around me. I felt like I should try to improve the city I live in instead of just living in it. So I came across Hands On New Orleans and signed up. The first time I volunteered with them I helped paint a house in the 7th Ward and I had a great time doing it. I realized that it is a lot easier to help others than most people think and it can be really rewarding to know that your effort can make other people's lives better."

 

"I am still in the process of learning, so most of what I have learned is just to stay flexible and keep an open mind. Everyone has their own way of doing things and that is what makes life interesting."

 

"I decided to volunteer through Hands On New Orleans because they coordinate a lot of different types of activities, and I can find ways to volunteer around my work schedule. I have done everything from clearing blighted properties to working at local festivals. My favorite place to volunteer is Bayou Rebirth, where they grow plants used to rebuild the coastline."

 

"A typical day at Bayou Rebirth starts at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. Once everyone is there, we spend the morning watering the plants, removing weeds, and cleaning up the site. If there are a lot of people there, we might tackle bigger projects, like splitting up plants so they can grow bigger and be healthier. It's a really pleasant way to spend the morning and I can see the plants growing every time to go back."

 

"I think my best volunteer moment so far was this summer when I volunteered with the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. I was helping people check in and register for the sessions they wanted to attend. Some of the people I helped were really frustrated with the process, but I was able to help them get most of their problems sorted out so they could enjoy attending the conference. I liked being able to help people get over small problems so they could actually go on to have fun at the conference."

 

"I was volunteering at a local festival at the information booth. Unfortunately, it was my first day and the other woman hadn't been there much longer than me. No one had provided any information or even a site map, so when some people asked us where to find the VIP lounge, we ended up sending them all over the place, when it was really just across the street from where we were. The people were really nice and came back to tell us, but we both felt really bad for making them walk all over the festival."

 

"Don't be scared to try a bunch of different things. It can be a lot of fun and you may find that you like volunteering places you never imagined. Also, always keep an open mind and try to be positive. It can really make a difference when you are volunteering with people who want to help but may not know how."

 

"I haven't really thought that far ahead yet. I'm still trying to figure out what I like to do."

 

"I think if more people tried volunteering, there would be a lot more volunteers out there. It's a good feeling knowing that you made a small dent in the problems in the world, no mater how small."