Emily - CASA - Blog Post 3

Day three of the CASA-centered volunteering in Huntsville proved just as rewarding and exciting as day one and two. Today, we were encouraged to work with the group home 305 8^th Street. 305 works to provide stable and nurturing homes to around twenty individuals. While the work was not as laborious in nature, it was just as satisfying. The girls were first asked to organize the food pantry which was overflowing with previously donated items. While we performed this task, the guys were responsible for taking down the heavy Christmas decorations throughout the home. After this task was accomplished, we were urged to sit down with the residents and chat for the remaining hour and a half. What began as a simple chat escalated, for the better, into a manicure, makeup, and hair session with Kellie, one of the residents. Kellie hit it off with all of the girls right away, and before we knew it we were exchanging addresses and Facebook information. It was so wonderful to get the one-on-one interaction that makes service work so rewarding and thrilling. The group chatted with the residents as they ate lunch, and then, sadly, we had to say our goodbyes. For me, today offered a true glimpse into the lives of those truly deserving. Making personal connections with the clients brought smiles onto all of our faces and further motivated us to continue helping out in whatever ways we can.

For the latter part of the afternoon, CASA gave us the afternoon off to truly “explore the city.” With extreme amounts of generosity, CASA also gave the group tickets to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. The museum included objects from the various missions to the moon, including the shuttle Saturn V. By immersing ourselves in the rich history of Huntsville, all of the group members seemed to have an even deeper appreciation for the meaningful work that CASA does. We were able to gain a profound admiration for CASA and organizations all around the country that work diligently to better serve their communities. The day ended with a dinner graciously provided by the First United Methodist Church. Altogether, today proved so immensely enjoyable because it helped to bring the group members that much closer to the wonderful people of Huntsville.