June 2011 Project Leader Spotlight: Briana Boswell

Briana (Center) with volunteers at the PB&J Project

I had just finished my first year of college and had no summer plans. Not wanting to waste time sitting at home all summer I decided to find a way to give back to the community. I googled “volunteering in Broward County” and found Volunteer Broward. I was nervous to sign up at first because I had never volunteered before and had no idea what to expect. I tend to be very shy, and I thought being a volunteer would be difficult as I would have to talk to many people. 

Volunteering has been one of the best decisions I have made, and it has impacted my life tremendously. I have gained an immense amount of self-confidence and I feel as if I can truly accomplish anything I put my mind to. Before I began volunteering I was very shy, and nervous to talk to people or ask basic questions. Even the anticipation of getting lost, doing a task wrong, or not knowing what volunteering would be like was intimidating. Now I have become a comfortable, less anxious, and more out-going volunteer. I know that no matter what happens in life I can handle myself. I have enjoyed the challenges that volunteering has presented, and I feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish a project.

If someone would have asked me what I expected Volunteer Broward to be like before I started, I would have probably said that I imagine myself going to a few volunteer opportunities here and there but overall nothing special. I would have imagined myself anxious, shy, and picking projects where I could blend in and never have to worry about doing something ‘wrong’. Instead it has been a life-changing experience with new opportunities, and has even opened my eyes to possible career paths. Not only do I participate in multiple projects each week, but I have taken control and become a project leader.

I am currently the project leader for Peanut Butter Jelly Time every Tuesday, where I help out in a community kitchen to feed the homeless. This was the first project I signed up for, and after my first time I was hooked! It is such a rewarding experience to be able to help these people, and it gives me an amazing feeling that I, a shy 18 year old who always preferred to blend-in, could actually make a difference in peoples’ lives. I began signing up for many different types of projects. I have volunteered for the CERT drill team disaster trainings, where I pretend to be a victim of a disaster in order to help the Community Emergency Response Teams receive training. That has been a lot of fun. I have volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House where we baked muffins for sick children. I also volunteered at Taste of a Nation, a fundraiser to help provide food for those in need.

I have signed up for many future projects, including volunteering at the 2011 U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Championships. I am looking forward to all the future projects and each new experience and challenge. I have met many amazing people, including an AmeriCorps member who has inspired me to go above and beyond. Seeing the way she helps people and how comfortable she seems in her own skin has helped me break out of my shell and really dive in! I am even considering joining AmeriCorps in the future to further use my time to help those in need.

My advice to new volunteers is to take chances!  You never know where that might lead you. Don’t let anxieties, what if’s, or pessimistic thoughts stand in your way. If you believe in yourself and have a goal, then go for it and follow your heart. It may seem out of reach, but it really might be closer than you think.

By: Briana Boswell