September Blog

September: 5 hours of community service

        The first dive into any type of new volunteer work is always an exciting experience. During the month of September, I got to send my very first handwritten letter addressed to a peer! I found the perfect pen pal to write to at Phoenix Assisted Care in North Carolina. Mr. Bill’s introduction said he loves soccer and wants to be pen pals with any soccer fans. I’ve played soccer for as long as I can remember. I only recently, however, became a more serious fan of watching the sport, rather than only watching the World Cup every four years. I was excited to write to Mr. Bill about all my experiences playing soccer while growing up and that I’m looking forward to hearing about his predictions for the Champions League. I’ve only received a handful of written letters in my life and a couple of them came during unexpected times of need. During this pandemic, I’m sure there are countless senior-citizens who would love to just have someone to talk to. With the current political climate and reckless behavior of inconsiderate people, it will be impossible to truly know when senior-citizens will be able to comfortably have visitors. In the mean time, I'll do my best to write as many letters as I can. I’ll be checking my mailbox daily for a response from Mr. Bill and will definitely find more pen pals to write to! 

    This month, I was also able to contribute to ICNA (Islamic Circle of North American) Relief of New Orleans’ disaster relief services for those affected by Hurricane Sally. It always seems that all eyes are only on a hurricane during its buildup and the moment it hits. The days that follow are usually forgotten by anyone not personally effected. Supplies and food were gathered through donations and were driven to Pensacola. While there, the volunteer group worked hard clearing gutters, branches and delivering supplies. My plan was to stay overnight at Pensacola and get two days of volunteer work done. Personal problems, however, cut the trip short. I have done volunteer work with ICNA in the past and the group is really devoted to ensuring that everyone in the New Orleans community is getting the support they need. I'll be sure to not only follow up with them for more volunteering opportunities, but also branch out my community service experiences. 


-Ashraf Farhoud

Total hours for the semester: 5 hours


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