SK: I hope all the soldiers and veterans know that there are people out there who want to give back to them and make them comfortable and happy.

AMH2020 student

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”- Maya Angelou. 

The people of United States Military are those we should take our hats off to and get on one knee for. All those men from the navy, marines, and army keep us safe and let us live the lives we always wanted without any complaints. We should do the same in helping those deployed or retired live safe, tummy full lives because that is our job as citizens. We cannot back out on the men that have risked everything for us because they deserve so much more than what they are given. Americans need to step up by sending more boxes and donating more money to the troops, they should not have to carry out the struggle of what they went through in war in real life, they deserve a break. Maya Angelou’s quote makes me think after I help out veterans or send boxes to Afghanistan that I feel like the good man behind the window, that one does not know. I feel like I am that man who gives what he can and is appreciated even though has no clue what he looks like and how good his really intentions are.  In doing my service project I thought how my nice deed of buying good and shipping them to men deployed made me a better person and impacted someone’s life greatly and community.

            I chose the job in mailing a box to Afghanistan and it was definitely one of the highlights of my year. I admit right now I am not a person who gives back to the community at all, I would much rather donate money than physically doing the action. I would rather give money because when I do physical work and see the poverty and conditions people are living in leaves me very emotional and depressed and I would much rather not feel those emotions. By mailing a box to Afganistan I was able to see a different part of myself that I never before encountered. The first task in creating the box was going to Publix to buy the goods required for the box and I literally went ham. I felt as if the best way possible to support is by buying everything on the list, so I did. I thought of Cuban grandma at that moment because all she wants is for me to do is “comer comer comer hasta que yo me explota,” she taught me to always be giving in everything I do and never take the cheap way out of things. In picking each good I felt happy that I was giving back to those soldiers who have nothing in the ugly, hot, desert that is Afghanistan. It was time to go to the post office and when I got down with all the things I bought I realized I bought so much more than what would fit in a flat rate box. I thought mailing something would be a piece of cake but it ended up being “una locura.” I have never mailed anything in my life and it took me forever to figure out everything. Every time I would go to the counter with a sealed box thinking it was done the lady kept telling me something else was wrong, I kept thinking, “Que dificil es esta mierda, soy un tremendo bobo”, It was time to pay and send the box and the lady at the post office was already giving me a rude look, not caring I put the box on top of the counter, so excited that the stuff I bought would soon be in the hands of a soldier. The lady then began to roll her eyes at me and tell me rude comments about packing the box so much but I didn’t care. I then paid and left and felt like a new person because I gave back to the boys out there fighting for us.

            My core value is happiness and mailing a box to Afghanistan related to my happiness. I am the type of person who always gets Christmas gifts for everyone because it makes me happy when I see them light up when they receive something special that I bought them. Also, I love taking pictures to remember those happy funny times that I can relate with my friends and family on whether it be karaoke to Celia Cruz on Christmas or attending Ava’s college party, times I want to remember forever. From going out to buy goods and shipping a box to a solder I believe that I reached their happiness because they got a present full of the things they love. I just wish I could see the look on their faces when they received it. The impact that I made on that soldiers’ life must be a big one because I hope he believes that there are people like myself who thank him for being over there and putting his life in danger so I can live a happy life. I hope all the soldiers and veterans know that there are people out there who want to give back to them and make them comfortable and happy. I have confidence that the project of sending goods to Afghanistan will touch all of TCC and lead to all of Tallahassee carrying out actions like these to impact our troops.

           

           

TM: This is the least I could do, and it has helped me see things from a different perspective, things that I would have never taken into consideration before.

AMH2020 student*

 I have chosen myself to help a former student in need, sending this care package off to Afghanistan was very fun and heartwarming. I chose this second project for many reasons, to supply this soldier with foods, show him that someone cares about his wellbeing, and help provide him with toiletries which he has no access to while fighting for our country and our freedom. 

In the words of Aubrey Hepburn, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” This quote stuck out to me because I was blessed with a family who to this are just a phone call away. Since I have been blessed I chose this project to bless someone else. We will never be able to fully put ourselves into a soldier’s shoes, however it is these types of gestures that will let them know that they are doing a wonderful job and their actions are not going unnoticed. There are hundreds of soldiers who may not have family or even friends to turn to, so why not provide them with a package and a card simply saying thank you for risking their lives. I am truly thankful for the ones fighting for me and as long as I am blessed enough to provide them with care, I will do it. Doing this has opened my eyes tremendously. I had never before sent off a care

package, so I did not know what to expect but I put myself in their shoes and began to think about all the things I have access to that they do not and it really touched my heart. I wish I was fortunate enough to buy the whole store and give to hundreds of soldiers in need, and that is now one of my goals. During the time spent away from their families sending off care packages are just a way in which we are able to say thanks and show our gratitude.

I truly hope other people in my community will be thoughtful this holiday season, or any season to be exact and find a solider to comfort while he or she is away from home. This is just one of the ways to show them how much of an inspiration they are and how their acts of bravery and courage help give us hope for a better America today. I hope to have made their day just as much as it makes mine knowing that they are so selfless, and face danger every day with no hesitation to protect and serve my country. This is the least I could do, and it has helped me see things from a different perspective, things that I would have never taken into consideration before. When you are blessed there is nothing greater than paying it forward to the next person, think about all the smiles we can put on a soldiers face by doing the little things. People will never forget how you made them feel and you may even make a new friend, so take heed and give back.

RK: Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but to some it can also be one of the loneliest.

AMH2020 student

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  Maya Angelou, author of that quote, is known for her words of wisdom.  She is a Pulitzer Prize nominated poet as well as author, speaker and a civil rights activist to name a few of her accomplishments.  I believe that over time you forget things that are said or done to you, but the feelings you have, whether good or bad, stay with you.

There are certain feelings that remind me of childhood.  The bedtime rituals of a story, a snuggle and getting tucked into the bed.  The feeling of the clean sheets and the cozy blanket that your parents wrap around you.  I don’t remember the words to my favorite books or the stories my dad would make up about sailing the seas, but I do remember the feeling when I was being put to bed.  I was safe and secure and my parents were right down the hall if I had a bad dream or just needed the extra hug.  Bedtime is a time of day, an action, a place in your home, but most importantly it is a feeling you get of security.

The Veterans Village holiday party gift list included a blanket, sheets and gift cards to name a few.  New sheets and a cozy blanket bring me right back to my childhood room and that sense of security.  I am hoping that one of the guests at the party picks these items and it helps them to remember their own childhood rituals of being tucked into bed.  My father uses the word cozy a lot.  We always tease him about it as he wants to be sure everyone is cozy all the time.  We have so many throw blankets in our home that it seems rather excessive.  I also came to college with several so that the cozy feeling was just an arm reach away.  I am hoping the blanket brings warmth and a deeper feeling of comfort to one of the deserving vets.

My community service commitment began in high school with a program called Caps of Love.  In my high school we had many disabled kids and one boy needed a very specialized wheel chair that would be custom made for him.  The school contacted Caps of Love which is a charity organization that collects plastic bottle caps and receives $.05 per cap from Waste Management to buy wheelchairs for people under 21.   A speaker from the charity indicated she was looking for students to get involved.  I noticed that my neighborhood had bottle caps every week that were put out in the recycle boxes and no one realized how important they could be to this one boy.  I enlisted the help of neighborhood kids so everyone took turns collecting, sorting, washing and storing the caps before turning them in to Caps of Love.  The project became so well known in our neighborhood that neighbors started leaving me bags of their caps at the door.  I managed this program for two years before another student in my block became the manager.  The project that started out as 20 caps a week turned into over 500 caps that were used to contribute to his chair.  The day this boy got his custom wheel chair delivered to the school, his face was beaming and his mom was crying.  I felt so good knowing that I contributed to this effort.  This proved that one person can make a difference but the effort of many brings it to a larger scale. 

I know what it feels like to be overwhelmed or feel alone in a crowd. In Junior year of high school, I fell off a cliff.  Falling off a cliff is an expression mental health professionals and guidance counselors use when a student experiences a drastic decline in grades or socialization.  As dramatic as that sounds, it was even harder to be the one falling.

Most people are quick to judge a book by its cover.  Ever since I have been diagnosed with ADD, I am no longer one of those people.  I have learned that every individual has their own back story and that each person’s history has shaped them.  I am more empathetic now and realize that everyone’s story is worth knowing.   With all the tragic stories in the daily news, I know that people have burdens that are bigger than Attention Deficit Disorder or receiving a bad grade during a semester. Now if I see someone fall off a cliff, I may be the one to catch them. 

 If perfection is overrated, then let me be the first to say I live in an imperfect world.  No one wants to admit their weaknesses but I have had to embrace mine.  My grades are not perfect but there is a sense of perfection gained from self-awareness.  I did not think my diagnosis of ADD would lead to personal growth, but that is one of the positives I have discovered.    My passion has always been to champion the underdog and to stand up for the kids who are introverts or chosen last for the team.  I want to channel my learnings from this condition and pursue a legal career that speaks for the ones with the smallest voices.  Children and the disabled need an advocate who can help them through obstacles. 

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but to some it can also be one of the loneliest.  Depression and anxiety can add to the holiday chaos and what should be fun is often dreaded by those that suffer from these disorders.  If one person can make a connection or reach out when you see someone stumble, the true spirit of Christmas will shine though.  Although I will not be in town for the Veterans Holiday Party, I feel good that the gifts will make someone feel special that day.  My dad will be happy someone gets a cozy blanket and I hope sleeping in new sheets reminds them of happy memories of their own childhood tuck-ins.