Personal Narrative: Why I Volunteer At The Orlando Veteran Affairs Medical Center

Anybody who takes a full role in society takes risks: crossing the road, using a bus, driving a car, and talking to people they do not know. Risk may be physical (injury and accident), emotional (humiliation, sense of failure), or mental (stress).

If there was anything more terrifying to a shy, introverted, teenage girl than the idea of being a in crowded room full of strangers, it would to be actually in one. Yet, there I was, surrounded by a numerous amount of impatient, jet-black cars that illuminated the dark streets, rows of musicians rehearsing their piece by playing a dissonance of sounds, and the expectant, motley crowd of people lining up on the sidewalk for the veteran’s parade.

My time spent with the wounded, ill, and injured soldiers has given me more compassion and respect for people that are suffering mentally and physically. By showing people that you care and that you have a vested interest in their future, can be beneficial in their recovery. This volunteer experience has helped me foster the way I will care for my future

In early July, 2014 I had just graduated high school. I decided I wanted to do something spontaneous and to help people. That late may I had gone to a career fair where I obtained an informational packet for AmeriCorps. I didn’t give the packet much thought other than a passing interest. When I graduated I remembered the packet and decided why not. The most important day of my life was the day I officially joined AmeriCorps.

Throughout my lifetime, I have both in my personal and professional life, sought opportunities for collaboration. While serving as a Veterans Representative/Contract Compliance Officer for the N.C State Veterans Home I was required to interact and collaborate with a wide variety of individuals and organizations to include the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veteran and civic organizations, and local hospitals. Since we were co-located at a VHA facility and received, per-diem from VHA, a collaborative approach was essential to solving problems and establishing agreements between the State Veterans Home and VHA. Examples include establishing privacy agreements, parking negotiations, and facility inspections to name a few.

Making so many different friends at so many different places helped me understand different people and different ways of thinking and doing so, gave me my second passion -helping others.

In my life I have family that were Veterans and they have went through a lot when they had to go to war, my uncle won’t talk a lot about when he went to war but he is still proud of being in the Marines and I think that is how some of our Veterans are, they saw things most people couldn’t dream of seeing, they seen things that hurt them, like seeing their friend die right by them being shot at, and I like how we there is places that they can go to have help with these things. Some Veterans families have lost loved one or their loved ones were hurt, these people have went through a lot to even if they weren't there it can still scare them for

Veterans are important to our Nation’s future because without them we would not be where we are today. They defended our rights as Americans. They make great war movies and games based on their experience overseas. They also make great body armor and gun ideas that they could have used. Without veterans we would not have the variety of weapons like we do today. Veterans are what made America. If it wasn’t for our Veterans, we would not be as safe as we are today. They put their life on the line trying to defend the United States of America and all of the people who live in it.

Mercy Medical Center is where it all started. On August 4th, 2004, 6:47 p.m. I was born. My name all started as a simple idea 4 years before I was even born. It originated from an American singer-songwriter Shannon Hoon, the lead vocalist of Blind Melon. Eventually, Shannon had a daughter, and named her Nico Blue. My mom liked the name and decided she would name her first child that. Though my first name isn’t actually Nico, it’s Nicolynn. She added her middle name to the first half, leaving me with no middle name.

I toured the military base, mountaineered with injured Marines, and observed evaluations and treatments in the clinic. I encountered a facet of healthcare that is generally unknown to civilians. I cannot adequately articulate how eye-opening and rewarding this experience was. It confirmed that my purpose in life is to positively impact the lives of others. The determination of the injured Marines and the persistence of their healthcare teams inspired me to be someone who helps others with the same resolve.

One thing that stood out to me, was how the clients was being choosey in the foods they were given. During my second service day at St. James, I was assigned to hand bags to clients because one of the volunteers were late. While giving out the bags to the clients, one client had a particular issue with one of the items

How do we appreciate our veterans? How do we appreciate our country? Most importantly how do we believe in america? This is what i think…...

The first time I visited The Gatehouse I felt a very positive energy, the house was very warm and welcoming, one will not feel like they have entered an organization that deals with sexual abuse but it feels like one has entered a house where a lot of children reside. I really like my placement this year, especially because it is something really different and I have never worked with this population. Everyday I am learning something new, and all the stories I am getting to hear are just really inspiring and beautiful.

One of the people really impacted me they said that have a lot of issues with their friends like they may have 15 friends but they don't trust them. Only 2 of the 15 are they actually close with the rest they just show they 10% of themselves like the iceberg analogy. The statement really surprised me because when I had friends I always wished that my friends were like that person and their group of friends because i would see them do things together or see their posts on social media and it just felt like they were perfect and I wanted something like that when in reality they are humans just like me who struggle with the same type of issues as I

In Conclusion Is it better to take risks and perhaps make some mistakes or remain cautious and risk nothing? Well, it’s good to take risks because it helps people sometimes it benefits you and it makes you feel like a hero sometimes like when you risk your life for the president, people will remember you as a hero. Maybe some people take risk to do bad