Thursday, May 14, 2009

substitute grandparents.


after i graduated college i knew i would be bored with just working 9-5 everyday so i made a list of goals, projects and to-do's to keep me busy. the list included working out regularly, monthly museum visits, scrapbooking my travels and college years and volunteering. i did pretty good with the list. i started working out at the free campus workout room by my office, i scrapbooked all of my favorite college photos and i visited museums more often than i ever had before.

most importantly i got involved with volunteering through chicago cares, an organization that coordinates various volunteer projects throughout the city. i wasn't really sure where to start so i went with convenience and picked a seniors bingo project near my apartment. on my first night i was seated with a man named joe. i was greeted by him squinting at me saying, "thank god you're not a blonde. i hate blondes." he also came up with colorful phrases to yell out throughout the game. for example, the caller would pull the I-30 bingo ball and joe would say, "I-30 your face is dirty. clean your face vera!" to the partially deaf woman that couldn't him screaming. he once asked me if he could be like my grandpa and i gladly said yes, ofcourse. i also helped a resident named jesse who needs help placing his chips on his card. jesse is THE most gentle, patient man i know and i have never seen someone get more excited to get a BINGO. the other residents really get into the game too and really enjoy our company. even on my first visit, i realized that they were special, quirky and completely ridiculous and i had to come back. i have been attending every monday since february 2008 and loving every minute of it. i am now a project leader once a month and have gotten to know the residents very well. getting involved with the bingo project led me in the direction of a variety of other chicago cares volunteer opportunities.

joe passed away shortly after i started volunteering there and i was devastated. but everytime they call I-30 i mutter clean your face vera under my breath in his memory :) i still sit with jesse and some other residents - a different joe, lee and peggy. they are all sort of my substitute grandparents since i have none of my own anymore. they give me peppermints, tell me amazing stories, meddle in my life a little bit and greet me with a warm smile every time i walk in the activity room on monday evenings. just as a grandparent would. hightlights from this past monday: joe won 3 times and everyone else was pissed, they noticed that i got a new purse and jesse wore a 'bingo nut' baseball hat.

these people are so important to me and add a value to my life that i can't even fully understand just yet. more on them soon...

3 comments:

  1. you are so good for going every week for over a year! that is really amazing. im sure they think of you as the grand daughter they never had or never see. i wish i could commit to something like that

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi. Just stumbled over here from Iva Messy and thought I would leave a comment. I too have done lots of volunteering with seniors and I love love your story! Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow, it's great that you're volunteering there... and yes people who you would least expect are those that add value to your life :) awesome that you're following your golas so well as well! i signed up for a gym membership last november and was diligent until Christmas holidays hit :( its been downhill frm there.. haha!

    ReplyDelete