This past month was a whirlwind of volunteering for me. I continued volunteering with Zeus' Rescues at their monthly adoption drives. My second time volunteering at their adoption drives, I helped out some of the newer volunteers and showed them the ropes. My day was much the same as before; I was assigned a dog with a biography and perused the Freret Street Market, socializing with patrons and shop owners in attempt to get each dog adopted by a loving family. I worked with Sammy, a soft-hearted 10-years old Shih tzu (pictured below). This month we had a lot of families come through the market since the weather has been milder and it was heart-warming to see the faces of little children light-up while playing with the dogs. If I can help find just one dog a family and save him or her from the shelters then I know our work as volunteers has had an impact. It may just be one more dog off the streets but it means the world to that one dog. In addition to the adoption drive, I also did some dog-walking on the side too.
Another event I volunteered for was a Thanksgiving Dinner organized by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office on Thanksgiving day. Me and a small group of my friends from the pharmacology program that were in New Orleans for the Thanksgiving break helped to handout food, assist patrons to tables, and throw out garbage. The dinner served several hundred people from around New Orleans that were in need of a warm Thanksgiving dinner. At one point during the dinner, the number of volunteers outnumbered the number of patrons receiving dinner which was inspiring to see. New Orleans may be one of the U.S.'s largest cities but it's still a very tight-knit community that looks out for each other. The people of New Orleans take pride in their community and want to help each other out. Coming from Seattle, another large city but one that lacks a central cultural identity and sense of community, it was uplifting to see the volunteers engage with the patrons not from a position of superiority but from a place of companionship and coexistence. It was also incredible to see the New Orleans Zulu club perform (pictured below)! After becoming accustomed to New Orleans, I'm slowly falling in love with the city and its people.
On a final note, I find myself reflecting deeply on my time in New Orleans and Tulane these days now that we're a week away from completing the semester. I'm truly touched by my Deming Family and my other friends I've grown close to these past few months. It's bittersweet to know our time together as a cohort is now half-over. Our collective struggle for academic success and adjusting to life in a new city has bonded us together in a deeply special way. I shall end this post with a happy holidays to everyone and some pictures from volunteering.
P.S. I will post once more closer to the last exam of the semester to complete my 24 hours of volunteering. My last volunteering of this semester is tomorrow, December 1st.
November Volunteer Hours: 12.0
Fall Semester Hours: 18.0
