What am amazing, fun-filled day this girl had! Today I had the opportunity to volunteer my time at Adult Day Services in Bemidji. The program is in its 34th year of business in Bemidji MN. It has evolved from a 4 hour day, up to a 10 hour day with numerous activities to maintain a healthy and rewarding lifestyle. Participants choose the days and length of attendance that best support their individual goals.
As soon as I walked in the door I was greeted with a warm smile and handshake from a lady named Jackie. I got a tour of the facility and met many other wonderful people! The daily schedule starts and 10 A.M and many of the members are picked up by employees in a bus. They have breakfast and lunch, participate in daily activities, group exercise, rest time, and also participate in many outings.
Today’s daily activity was volleyball which we all know is right up my ally! They set up chairs on each side of a little net that is held up by two poles. They then use balloons as “volleyballs”, the smiles and laughs that I experienced today during such a simple activity made my heart smile. After volleyball was over we did group exercises. Lunch time rolled around and I served lunch and during lunch I talked with some of the members. Each one of them is so unique and have such interesting stories. After lunch I chatted with an older gentleman who has a hard time getting around. We sat at a round card table and drank coffee as he told me his story, and I will admit I did almost start crying once or twice. He proceeded tell me that he had joined the military when he was 20 and didn’t return home till he was 40. He is fluent in Chinese and served in the Vietnam War. He has a hard time getting around because when he was fighting in the war his plane got shot down, he ended up in the Ma River as he was ejected out of the plane. He was severely hurt if you can imagine, but that doesn’t stop him. He now enjoys playing country music with some of his other friends, and they actually have their own band. I was honored to be able to hear his story and how his personality came to life. I spent my afternoon playing cards, coloring, talking, and laughing with people that I had just met. People who knew nothing about me except my name, and yet they still treated me like I had known them for years. Giving someone three hours or even 5 minutes of your time can make a difference. Letting someone know that you value them and that they have something unique to offer this world is so important. We all have a storyand big or small, short or tall our stories deserve to be heard <3
I hope to go back to Adult Day Services as many of them have touched my heart.
Here is the link to the website I encourage you to check it out! http://adultdayservicesbemidji.com/#about
