Getting a Move On: Orientation experience at Moveable Feast Lexington

Last Friday, I had the privilege to work my volunteer orientation/training at Moveable Feast Lexington.

During the orientation/training, I drove with another volunteer around Lexington and delivered meals to those who were terminally ill or had HIV.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience I had volunteering at this organization for a number of reasons.  They are as follows:

1.     I could see the impact that volunteering made in the lives of the people we served:  A majority of the people that we serviced were completely debilitated or were otherwise too indigent to be able to provide food, or at least healthy food, for themselves.  One of the women we served was not even able to get up out of her wheelchair to come answer the door, so I could see the sheer impact that it had on her life and daily routine when we were able to bring her dinner, placing it right in front of her on the table she was sitting at.  It touched me to be able to see the love that those who were serviced felt.

2.     The people that volunteered here clearly did this program out of the goodness of their own hearts: The volunteer with whom I did my orientation was a fairly successful professional.  He had a busy work and life schedule.  However, despite his busy schedule, he is able to find time every week to be able to volunteer on Friday evenings, out of the goodness of his heart and his love for service alone.  I hope that during my experience here, I can embody this attitude: I hope that I can dedicate myself wholeheartedly to serving and not simply meeting my class requirement.

3.     I learned a lot of new things! : The volunteer with whom I worked was extremely educated on the history of Lexington.  I learned a number of things about the first settlers of Lexington, the architectural history of Lexington, and the fact that Lexington was first independent of the University of Kentucky: the school and the city was separated by “country”.  Though unrelated to service and volunteering, I was able to chat, learn, and make warm conversation with the volunteer whom I trained under.

I am elated to be able to start my service learning here at Moveable Feast Lexington.  It will be a gratifying process to be able to service those in need, and to find new reasons to enjoy doing such every time I go.

An image of the moveable feast headquarters.  This is where all of the food is made, and it serves as a "headquarters" for the drivers to pick up meals to deliver. (via feastlex.org)