June 2011 Volunteer Spotlight: Sherley Guerrier

Sherley and Daria at the
Ronald McDonald House

I was beginning my sophomore year of high school and didn't have any community service hours. I knew I needed to stop being lazy and become a more active member in my community. One day the guidance counselors at my school, Fort Lauderdale High, had an assembly and they started talking about Volunteer Broward and I decided to look it up online and eventually signed up for an orientation meeting. That's how I started volunteering.

I worked on many different projects with Volunteer Broward. One of the recent projects that I worked on was the 2^nd Annual Covenant 5k walk/run where I passed out water to the racers. I even had a chance to walk some of the track. The day before the 5k I volunteered at the Ronald McDonald house and assisted other volunteers in making muffins for the families that currently live at the House. Other projects that I have worked on include a lot of outdoor environmental projects such as People & Planet Day at Esplanade River Walk Park and I also helped build a nature trail at Snyder Park with the Kids Ecology Corps. I also participated in the Family Fun and Resource Day which was an outreach event on child abuse prevention. I am also part of the Youth Project Leaders program which gives me an opportunity to learn how to be a leader in assisting our community. I am currently not signed up for any projects, but will soon be visiting the website to get my new assignments.

I know I'm making a difference in my life and others when I volunteer. This organization impacted my life tremendously. Since I've started I volunteer at least once a week. As I grow up and start applying for colleges the volunteer projects I have taken part in will aid me into getting into schools that I would like to attend. As an adult I will have more social skills and be able to interact with people that I will be working alongside. My sister is now beginning to volunteer through Volunteer Broward because of how much she saw volunteering was important to me. Volunteering has become a part of my lifestyle. I learned to enjoy helping others. "One of the best decisions I've made in my high school career is joining volunteer Broward because of the many doors it will open in my future."

If you're a new volunteer and hesitant about becoming a Volunteer Broward member I encourage you to at least do one project that's all it takes to change your perspective. You never know until you try!

By Sherley Guerrier