April 23-29, 2017 is National Volunteer Week! Please join us as we thank the wonderful volunteers who help us fulfill our mission: To improve the quality of life of individuals and their families living with MS and related neurological diseases through care, support, education and research. #NVW
As part of National Volunteer Appreciation Week, the Rocky Mountain MS Center and King Adult Day Enrichment Program would like to highlight one of our outstanding volunteer groups. This year we are recognizing Regis Jesuit High School. We value the dedicated coordinators who continue to set-up the service project annually for their students as well as the many, many students we meet.
Every year, Regis High School students volunteer at KADEP for 4 weeks, 2 weeks of girls and 2 weeks of boys. KADEP and Regis have collaborated annually for over 14 years. Over the course of 2 weeks or 60+ hours per student, they offer tremendous help serving breakfast and lunch as well as assisting in groups including exercise, crafts, cooking, and games at KADEP. Students are always willing to learn and help out wherever needed. More than hands on helping, they develop relationships and spend time getting to know clients.
At first students sometimes seem uncomfortable or may not know what to say when interacting with the clients, but by the end of their time here they are jumping right in. Some students feel that volunteering at KADEP has opened their eyes to pursuing a helping profession. Past students have said that they love volunteering here because it’s an enlightening experience, that they have a better understanding of what clients go through, and that they enjoy hearing the clients’ stories. KADEP staff love having Regis students because when they are here for 2 straight weeks, they become familiar with the routine at KADEP and are able to contribute more in the day to day tasks while building meaningful connections with clients. After their time volunteering at KADEP, several students decided to continue their service past their schools requirements by coming back to volunteer and by donating money to the Rocky Mountain MS Center.
Miranda Moll, a junior at Regis, came back during spring break and brought a friend to share her experience with. “I came back because of all the friends I made and the people I met and I didn’t want to only see them for those two weeks because I enjoyed them so much,” Moll said.
KADEP is exceptionally grateful for the continued partnership with Regis Jesuit High School and all the groups that continue to contribute their time and hard work.
For more information on National Volunteer Week, visit Points of Light.