This afternoon was AWESOME!
Barb and I went to the boy’s school for a volunteer recognition lunch. Let me start out by saying my wife looked great she spent a lot of time getting ready. I did not. I was wearing my Spongebob Squarepants bright yellow shirt, black cammies and combat boots. I was the only parent, no scratch that only person, who dressed up for the kids. We spent some time talking to another parent, the class assistant and the teacher before sitting down to eat lunch that was prepared by the school staff. I didn’t eat much, but what I had and what I could smell was pretty good.
After the lunch was a school assembly where the volunteers were to be recognized by the other volunteers, staff and students. It was a blast. First there was the herding of the children into the gym. Cat herding couldn’t be any more difficult. As each class came in and sat down on the floor they would have to move to make room for the next and so on until there was a wave of people moving each time someone sat down. They didn’t plan for the volunteers sitting in the back. Organized and fun to watch all at the same time.
Then came the recognition which was the principal calling out the student’s name, then the volunteer’s name. The student went and got a gift and met the volunteer in the middle for a hug. There were plenty of fun moment, but I will focus on ME. Donovan skipped, hopped and jumped his way from the middle of his class to the principal who commented that Donovan was excited. Then Barb, Kaylee and I walked to our place. A shit ton of Awwwwws when the people saw Kaylee. Then even more when after Donovan hugged Barb, he hugged Kayleee….then he got picked up and tickled in front of everyone by me. I am a cool parent and a trend setter.
That set off a wave of kids jumping into their volunteer parent’s arms or pick up hugs. It went from fun to A BLAST from that moment on. A non-stop period of clapping, hooting, hollering and hugging it really was moving. It was really cool to see that there were a lot more volunteers than I had thought and seen during my time there. Teacher thanked us for all of our work throughout the year.
The assembly ended with a very emotional celebration for a student who had just won the silver medal swimming at a special olympics event. Everyone went nuts. A very cool and fun way to end my first year as a volunteer and a very good event to put into my book about being a volunteer.
I’m still smiling.
