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ENTERTAINMENT Volunteer opportunities endless during the season of giving
ENTERTAINMENT Volunteer opportunities endless during the season of giving | Volunteer opportunities endless during the season of giving |
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| Written by Micaela Titus, The Shorthorn staff | ||||
| Monday, 30 November 2009 06:23 PM | ||||
Dacen Moore smiles as children stood in awe of the Christmas costumes, jubilant decorations and screamed at as Santa came to town.
  Some Mavericks give more than gifts during the holiday season, by donating their time to help those in need. UTA Volunteers is a student organization that hosts numerous programs and events for the benefit of others. (The Shorthorn: Meghan Williams) Dacen Moore smiles as children stood in awe of the Christmas costumes, jubilant decorations and screamed at as Santa came to town. Moore, who was volunteering at the City of Mesquite’s annual Christmas in the Park, said he will never forgot the experience. The information systems junior has been volunteering since elementary school and considers giving back a passion. He loves to help people and volunteering was a good fit to changes lives. Even though, it’s the season of giving, students like Moore make volunteering a major part of their lives and find ways to help throughout the year. Journalism senior Theresa Casey can relate to Moore’s passion for volunteering. She said as a preacher’s daughter she was raised to help those in need and she is passing that to her kids. “I have been blessed and it is important to share those blessings with others,” she said. “Giving back is not a one-way street. The gratitude I receive is priceless and worth giving everything I can.” Around the holidays the need for volunteers increases and for Moore lending a hand is at the top of his to-do list. “I love the holidays, but I’m also aware that there are those that cannot necessarily celebrate,” he said. “My holiday cheer comes from giving to others.” Places to volunteer in Arlington:Mission Arlington201 W. South St. Arlington, TX 76010 817-277-6620 Mission Arlington has been serving the community for 23 years by providing clothing, food and necessities to those in need. They also provide transportation for doctor’s appointments and help single parents take their children to and from school. Municipal Volunteer Office 101 S. Mesquite St., Suite 790 Arlington, TX 76010 817-459-6869 The City of Arlington’s Municipal Volunteer Program state that the quality of life in Arlington is based on the delivery of city services. The program offers events like Friday Night Band Dance and Rangers at the Arlington Tennis Center. YMCA of Arlington 1148 W. Pioneer Parkway Arlington, TX 76013 817-299-9619 YMCA of Arlington seeks diverse volunteers. The organization asks for participants with a positive attitude to promote community service. Don’t know where to start? www.volunteermatch.org allows one to search for volunteer opportunities by location or interest. Vocal performance junior Tesia Kwarteng said volunteering is a humbling experience and it reminds her to not take life or material things for granted. Her favorite is the university’s The Big Event. “Doing The Big Event with UTA at the Boys and Girls Club [of Arlington] made me happy,” she said of cleaning the facility. “You never think something so simple can have such a major impact for others.” Kwarteng also said she loves volunteering at soup kitchens and delivering food to families. She likes delivering food because most of the people she meets are interesting and enjoy talking about their lives. “Sometimes people have no transportation to go get help,” she said. “When you go to their homes, they are able to get the things they need without having to further exhaust their resources.” Casey said with more people losing jobs and struggling, anything helps. She volunteers most with the Benevolence Center of the West Freeway Church of Christ in Fort Worth. Kwarteng suggests calling places like Mission Arlington and Ronald McDonald House Charities to see what is necessary to reach more families with different needs. This summer, Moore was a part of the Dr. Emmett J. Conrad Leadership Program. Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, sponsors the internship and interns collected school uniforms and supplies for disadvantaged youth. He said he has been a part of more than 10 organizations that focus on volunteering and is focusing on maximizing his volunteer potential with UTA Volunteers. “UTA Volunteers helped paint a house for a woman a few months ago,” he said. “When I saw the happiness in her face upon completion of the house, I got the best feeling of appreciation in return.” Views: 811 | E-mail
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