Service at the Salvation Army Site

By Rudiridh Homson, 7th Grade
Damien Memorial School
Teacher: Gayle Pai

I have been inspired by Clarence T.C. Ching many times, this is one of those times. When I first got to Hawaii, I was just learning about Mr. Ching. During that time, someone from the Salvation Army site near my house called my mom and asked if there was someone in our household that would be willing to help out at the warehouse.

I said that I was willing to help out. Now, whenever they need help, a person will call my mom and ask if I can come over to the warehouse. There aren't very many people willing to help out at the Salvation Army sites. I help out with a variety of things like the food drives, youth camps, caring for the elderly and with disaster reliefs to name a few. I view my contributions as acts of kindness in order to improve my community, just how Mr. Ching had led his life. I want to explain why I help out at this organization, why many people don't come to help us, and what I do when I go to the Salvation Army site.

In this part of the story I talk about why I help out at this organization. A person from a Salvation Army site near my home calls my mom at least every other week to ask if I can walk over there to help them out. I am willing walk on over because I enjoy it most of the time. I don't think it's right to say "no" when someone is in need of my help, especially if l have the time. It also gets me out of the house, and it's good exercise. While I'm at the warehouse when I'm having a hard time and wanting to quit and go home, I remind myself of the great community work Mr. Ching did. I try to remember how I should be helpful and do acts of kindness that benefit others and not just think of myself. These thoughts motivate me to keep going and not give up.

At the Salvation Army site, there are only five others besides myself who help out on a regular basis. Six of us have been there for more than eight months, normally there are 10 - 15 people. The number varies, but there are definitely six regulars. Why don't many people come to help us? I'm thinking that there are very few people helping us because everyone is too busy. Often when people come to help, they don't come back. The Salvation Army has put out around 50,000 calls asking if people will be willing to help out at the warehouses. Not many of the calls are answered, and if they are, the answer is normally a "no thank you." Very few people answer and agree to come and help. I was one of them.

What do I do when I go to the Salvation Army site? There are a number of things I do while volunteering at the warehouse. Sometimes I am in the phone room. After listening to the automated message, if someone presses "one", I pick up the call and ask them if they are interested in helping at the warehouse the upcoming week. If they agree, I tell them the time they need to be here, the address, and if they need a reminder phone call. Another thing I do is to pack boxes that contain seven meals for the week, a tent if someone needs one, pillows, blankets, and anything else they may need. The Salvation Army also buys around $5,000 worth of items a month because a lot of people come to their food drives. l also carry boxes from the shelves to the people's cars. I will also go to the homes of the elderly with other volunteers. We put on shows with singing or acting. I will also bring cookies to their homes. I help the old people that have been left with no help. These are acts of kindness that I can do as a younger person.

These are just a few of the things I do in when I help out at the Salvation Army site near my house, why I help out at this organization, why many people don't come out to help us, and what I do when I go there. I have a lot of fun helping out at the Salvation Army because I'm doing things I love, one of them being the smiles on their faces because I have warmed their hearts. This is just one of the many things I will continue to do to help out those around me so I can get the magnitude of help and care that Mr. Clarence TC. Ching received. I am very proud that I can say I have helped my community despite how everyone else has been.