Many people make a full time job being a volunteer, a pleasant experience, where you put in your time, have little responsibility, and only do what you enjoy doing...Well Maybe...Since retiring 20 years ago my stints as a volunteer have included doing my civic duty as a sorority member, touting memberships for Airlife, and at the same time I shared the history of railroads in Wallowa County as I rode the Eagle Cap excursion train, where I perfected my smile and welcomed people aboard...I served lunches, sold t-shirts and other memorabilia and also took on the job of trying to keep their membership rolls up to date...Volunteering at Hells Canyon Mule Days came looking for me when my friend Pam called one day and said, "Can you and Herb fill in for a few hours."..Those few hours turned into four years of cleaning bathrooms, hauling trash, selling souvenirs and T-shirts and all the while I smiled.., until all at once the fun ceased and I found myself dreading the next shift, the ever present smile fading from my face... One by one I resigned from those volunteer positions ready to move on with my life...Did I move on with my life, well no, life is life...I love my home and my gardens...I worked at my writing, I love cooking and canning, once in awhile I get back into sewing, my computer gives me hours of gaming and reading, keeping in touch...I have friends, young and old, that fill a niche in my life...But is that enough to keep me happy?
My last foray into volunteering began four years ago when my friend and partner in crime, Pat, said, "Della lets get a team together and volunteer at the new Arts Center, we will come up with a name, get to see all the new shows, it will be fun, come on I know you will like it and people love your smile."...Pats enthusiasm carried me along and it lasted for awhile...The Josephy Center is growing and with the growth comes more responsibility for the Docents...Some of the docent jobs involve garbage, recycling, vacuuming, washing windows, dusting, cleaning (these are all jobs that I avoid at home) and now new things such as selling tshirt and art from the new "Art Shop." A new device called "The Cube" is in use where by we can ring up cash sales, slide a credit card, enter everything with a few swipes, Sorry but this makes me nervous...I've smiled my way through the years but the last year I have found myself dreading the next shift and my greeting and smile have grown dim...So I must with regret, resign from Team Monday...I do have one more volunteer job at the Wallowa County Museum...For the months of June, July, August and September I sit upstairs with the other relics and dummies, where I greet people, smile, make small talk and answer questions...So far I haven't been asked to empty the trash, dust, vacuum or sell a Tshirt...I have to admit it is incredibly boring but maybe this is the place for me, now if I could only find this kind of deal to keep me happy during the long Wallowa County winter!..But, this only brings up another question, what is happiness?...Hugs To All...OWAV:)
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