Community service is just one more activity in my life, a job if you will. This task means something to an abundance of people around the world, but not me. I feel that it is a job where the strong help the week and the wealthy support the poor. Yes, it clears my conscience when I have done something wrong, but in the end its just work. With a can do attitude anyone can do it, for themselves or the community, either way some ones benefitting for it.
The first time I had ever applied myself to do community service is when my mom said,” Raymond, you are going to the Youth at Risk program Friday after school to help others.” The thoughts running through my mind like headless chickens were endless; who, what and why were all questions I had that my mom couldn’t answer and that I would have to wait till that Friday to receive any information. The week flies by like nothing and I am off to due my duty to help the less fortunate. As streets pass, I figured it would be in a safe secure neighborhood, but oh no!, its on 7th street and Van Buren ( if you are not from Phoenix, AZ, that’s pretty much the ghetto) and to tell you the truth I was scared out of my mind. I thought I was going to have a heart attack until I saw the men in white and blue and it eased my comfort but still sketchy like a loose tire driving down the highway. Any way, an hour into it, I am observing all the children and teens, small, tall, and of different ethnicities and they were ecstatic for this event that honestly was not that great. Now knowing they didn’t have a Christmas, this was there Christmas, and it was glorious to them. This showed me that poverty in AZ still exist and not just for older folks, but for children as well. I can not begin to describe what they had for clothes, some of them smelled as bad as manure. The clothes in their backs, some were rags, most were hand me downs, and the only new item they had were shoes which were two sizes too big. Anyways, I worked a game station were everyone won a prized with $.99 toys to hand out. I was like Santa Clause to these kids without the belly and beard. The joys on the kid’s faces were priceless from all of the excitement of free food, bounces, toys, and Santa. Yes, Santa did come with a grand entrance on a fire truck. When one sees this kind of joy from so little, it makes one broken unless you’re the Grinch with no heart, then no one can help you. And to those who do this, it does make you want to change, and doesn’t matter how you do it, just do it.
As years have passed, every Christmas, my mom, mother and I go to Youth at risk and help the less fortunate. And yes it maybe a job, but at least I better myself by involving myself in the community because who know, maybe one day, one of my family members could be in there or worse me, and I will need help.