As Community Outreach chair on the Georgetown Scholarship Program (GSP) student board, I am very proud to report that the GSP volunteers had an amazing and fulfilling experience in Georgetown University Hospital's pediatric unit during Georgetown University's 25 Days of Service challenge. 25 Days of Service seeks to exemplify the Jesuit spirit of "being men and women for others" by 25 consecutive days of community service of participating Georgetown organizations.
On Wednesday, October 19th, GSP students were able to "be men and women for others" as we utilized construction and tissue paper, crayons, markers, googly eyes, and scissors to make some very ghoulish Halloween crafts (including trick or treat goodie bags and witch hats!) with kids in the pediatric unit. It was a very lighthearted and fun activity, and we were able to chat and laugh with kids on the unit and to learn more about their lives.
What was perhaps the most striking and touching about our visit with the pediatric unit is that despite having serious illnesses and being the recipients of numerous medical treatments, the kids in the unit were just like any other kid: eager to talk about their brothers and sisters, how their day was going, and what plans they had made for Halloween.
Furthermore, we were struck by how brave and stoic the kids were. It was evident that despite the almost constant presence of pain in their lives, they were determined to make the best and the brightest out of each day. I think it is safe to say that we enjoyed ourselves just as much as the kids and that they showed us the definition of grit and determination in the face of life's struggles.
GSP was drawn to the 25 Days of Service challenge because we are privileged enough to benefit from the generosity of the program donors, workers, and participants who make GSP possible. As a testament to GSP students' eagerness to volunteer, there were more volunteer offers than open slots due to limited space, and I actually had to turn down several GSP students' offers to volunteer.
I believe that because we have been on the receiving end of such generosity, we are that much more eager to give back to our surrounding community. We look forward to participating in community service initiatives in the future.
This blog entry was submitted by the Georgetown Scholarship Program, a group participating in the Patrick Healy Fellowship's 25 Days of Service, a President's Interfaith Challenge student partner.
What was perhaps the most striking and touching about our visit with the pediatric unit is that despite having serious illnesses and being the recipients of numerous medical treatments, the kids in the unit were just like any other kid: eager to talk about their brothers and sisters, how their day was going, and what plans they had made for Halloween.
Furthermore, we were struck by how brave and stoic the kids were. It was evident that despite the almost constant presence of pain in their lives, they were determined to make the best and the brightest out of each day. I think it is safe to say that we enjoyed ourselves just as much as the kids and that they showed us the definition of grit and determination in the face of life's struggles.
GSP was drawn to the 25 Days of Service challenge because we are privileged enough to benefit from the generosity of the program donors, workers, and participants who make GSP possible. As a testament to GSP students' eagerness to volunteer, there were more volunteer offers than open slots due to limited space, and I actually had to turn down several GSP students' offers to volunteer.
I believe that because we have been on the receiving end of such generosity, we are that much more eager to give back to our surrounding community. We look forward to participating in community service initiatives in the future.
This blog entry was submitted by the Georgetown Scholarship Program, a group participating in the Patrick Healy Fellowship's 25 Days of Service, a President's Interfaith Challenge student partner.
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