Cleaning a Park Observation (Essay Sample)

Cleaning a Park Observation Name Institutional Affiliation Cleaning a Park Observation On August 6 2016, I participated in the cleaning of my local park. This was one of the community events organized at my workplace. We were divided into groups of five, each group with its own group leader. Our role was to pick up litter in bags, place them beside the pathway where they will be picked and transported to the designated dumpsite for disposal. Initially, this was my first volunteering program that equipped me with sufficient skills. I, therefore, took this opportunity to partake in community service and help other people in the process. Through this experience, I discovered that I love volunteering so I will be volunteering on my own in the future instead of doing it as a workplace activity. Doing service program is a good way of getting involved with the society (Dennis, 2012). There are always institutions and people looking for assistance. When I decided to volunteer I was excited because it was my first time. Furthermore, it made me feel like a better person because I was helping people in the community. The park has a child’s play area, pet park and baseball fields. The grass was covered with dew and there were dead leaves that had piled up under the trees. Wooden benches were spread out; the brown paint on some of them was peeling off. Joggers doing their morning exercise were passing through the park. There was an elderly couple feeding the ducks in the little brown pond. Old trees bordered the field and different types of trees lined the pathway. At one point squirrels would scamper down and gnarl the trunks. They would look around cautiously before scampering away. Cleaning of the park helped me to clear my mind. The park was peaceful and quiet which enabled me to meditate. It reduced stress and made me happy. By measuring brain activity and hormones, researchers have found out that by being helpful to others, one experiences pleasure. People are wired to assist others (Basirico et al., 2014). The more we give, the happier we will become. It gave me a sense of purpose by helping my community. In fact, cleaning the park brought me closer to my colleagues by way of working together for a common goal and shared activity. It gave me an opportunity discovering new aspects about my work mates; boosted my social skills and expanded my network of friends. I met and made new friends and had a profound respect for the park. Voluntary work connected me to the community as it made it a much better place. I also gained more experience in other areas of painting. This helped me build upon skills that I already have and use them to benefit the community. This aim was achieved through raising awareness, while further improving and developing my skills. Volunteering betters an individual. Furthermore, volunteers indeed make a difference in the lives of people they serve. Everyone should, therefore, aspire to volunteer since it benefits both the community and the person partaking in community service (Dennis, 2012). Through my religious teachings and family, I have learned several ways to feel needed, one of these ways is to offer aid to other people. Karma, a philosophy that I believe in states that everything that goes around eventually comes around. Therefore, the result of doing good deeds is that other people will do good acts in return. Volunteering assisted me to explore my new interests and passions. I found cleaning the park purposeful and interesting; this was a relaxing, and much needed escape from my daily routine of work, school and family commitments. It provided me with new vision, motivation and creativity that I will carry over into my personal life. Local parks provide jogging and hiking trails, recreation facilities, and playing grounds are maintained by local governments some of which have limited resources. The park needs more volunteers. The limited personnel are challenged in the areas o...