Monday, January 14, 2013

1/13-1/14/2013 Our LAST Work Shift

(Key Largo, FL)

We're in our last two days as Camp Hosts in John Pennekamp State Park.

We worked with the new couple who came in to take over for Mike and Joan who left a few days ago.  Oh how I wish we were working with this couple!  Either that they were here this past two months or that we were coming in for these next two months.  Did you ever just meet somebody that you “clicked” with?  It was this way for way for Diana and me and Mike and Bob seemed to hit it off real well too.  I am so glad when we meet someone like this.  They usually end up as lifelong friends.  In fact, we’ve already agreed to stay in touch and are hoping to either work together or at least run into each other again down the road.

After work on Monday Bob and I had errands to run like filling the gas tanks, one last trip to the Post Office and bank, one last stop to the best veggie stand around, a beer/Pepsi run and we finished our day with our exit interview with Elena.

After answering all of Elena’s questions, she presented us with a poem all typed up and framed.

It’s a poem called, “Why Be a Volunteer” by Ethel Ornstein.

It’s not for the money – it’s not for fame,

It’s not for any personal gain,

It’s just for love of fellow man,

It’s just to give a little of self -

That’s something you can’t buy with wealth.

It’s not for medals worn with pride,

It’s for the feeling deep inside,

It’s that pride, and deep in your heart,

It’s that feeling that you’ve been a part

of helping others for and wide

That makes you be a volunteer.

Elena is such a giving person and offers things to her volunteers all through the weeks they’re there.  She’s given me a bag she made to carry dishes, silverware and glasses in when we go to pot lucks.  She even included the dishes, silverware and glasses!  At Christmas time each couple was given a Christmas stocking with little goodies in it.  And now this poem.

We finished up the last bit of things we had to do in order to pull out tomorrow morning.
We gladly gave our tee shirts to Mike and Diana, we won’t be needing them again.  Ever.
So tomorrow morning, we’ll bid farewell to John Pennekamp State Park.  We’re looking forward to it.

Pizza was the call for dinner!

No comments: