As the new year begins, the prospect of spring service hours is making its way around Rosary. Many Royals are gearing up to begin volunteering at a number of wonderful organizations; however, with over 500 organizations to choose from in Orange County (along with the requirement of choosing an organization on the Rosary-approved list), the task of picking a volunteer spot can be quite daunting. It can be helpful to get recommendations from trusted friends and peers; knowing this, a few Royals have shared their favorite agencies to ease the minds of worrisome volunteers.
The first tip comes from junior Terry Chung. Chung is so grateful to have found the organizations that she has enjoyed volunteering at thus far, saying, “I completed my fall service hours in St. Norbert’s food pantry and I’m planning to finish my spring service hours with Tara’s Chance. Tara’s Chance is a unique volunteer opportunity where you get basic training and work with horse therapy sessions.” Chung shared, “I definitely would recommend both St. Norbert’s and Tara’s Chance, and I’m grateful to work along with other volunteers.”
The next tip is from junior Ella Jenkins. Jenkins is enthusiastic to share about her volunteering experiences with her Rosary sisters: “I did all my volunteer hours early over the summer to make sure I wouldn’t have to worry about them during the year in case I got too busy. I did them at St. Francis Home and DSAOC.” Jenkins continued, “I especially liked DSAOC since I got to hang out with some really awesome people!”
Chloe Davis ‘27 had an amazing experience while volunteering over the summer and is excited to continue volunteering throughout the spring. “I worked with kids at a Catholic day camp for my fall service hours. It was so much fun to help the kids connect with each other. Everyone was so enthusiastic and cheerful for the children, and it was amazing to see everyone come together to teach and learn about the love of God.” Davis says, “For my spring service hours, I plan to volunteer for a soup kitchen or a canned food drive. I believe it’s amazing to give food to others in need, and it is something that I plan to continue volunteering for in the future.”
The last tip comes from Clara Lam ‘27, who is very happy to be volunteering with two organizations that she loves: “I did my service hours at Rosary’s summer camp during the summer. I’m planning to do my spring ones at the Precious Life Shelter, and I’d recommend doing this one because we get to support pregnant women who have no place to live.”
Personally, I learned a lot from all of these tips above. I had no idea how many volunteer opportunities existed until I began searching for one. I did my fall hours over the summer, where I worked at Beyond Blindness, a preschool for children with a variety of different disabilities. I completed my service hours for the spring with RAD (Rising Above Disabilities), volunteering at both their movie night and their Christmas party. I would definitely recommend both organizations that I worked with, as they were truly transformative experiences.
Have fun volunteering, Royals! Let’s get out there and serve the dear neighbor as much as we can this spring.
