Poindexter Park

Every 3^rd Saturday of the month, I’ve been volunteering down-town at Poindexter Park.

Haven’t heard of Poindexter park? That’s because it’s in the “bad part of town”. The place where white people don’t go (unless of course you’re looking for dope). The place where the “ghetto” is.

My dear friend, Vasch, invited me months ago and it wasn’t until I got into school that I actually took her up on that offer.

You see, volunteering and participating in community service are things that are very close to my heart. Always have been. (My friend Bill refers to me as the Fu&%ing Humanitarian.) But I didn’t really know how to get involved. I didn’t really want to give any of my time away because I was far too busy having “fun”. But in my head, it always seemed like a really nice thing to say..”oh yes, Mrs. Brown, I spent 4 hours tilling the community garden this morning, what have you ever done with your life?”

Anyway. The point is that I didn’t know how to get involved. I didn’t really know if I wanted to. But now that I have, I can’t get enough. Most of my weekends are now spent volunteering at different places. I meet the most amazing people. I have an opportunity to do for someone, what they can’t do for themselves. I have an obligation to give back hope to the world because several people gave it to me when I had none.

It wasn’t long ago that I was one “those people”. I was basically home-less. I was wandering around with alcohol in-hand in seedy places looking for things that I thought would make me happy. I was that person. I was the person people prayed for. I was on lots of church lists. And hell, I hope I still am. I need as much prayer as you have;)

But maybe that’s why my heart is so sensitive and maybe that’s why I always leave these places having another sort of spiritual experience—because I can relate; Because I feel their pain; their hopelessness.

Today we (a lot of my OT classmates joined in!) tilled the community garden and put down fresh soil. We also weeded a lot.

We also walked around the neighborhood, knocking on doors and giving away fresh produce from the garden.

And then we fed about 50 guys in the park.

I had wanted to sleep in this morning. It is Saturday after all.

But I’m so glad I didn’t.

If you or anyone you know would like to get involved in the local community, please don’t hesitate to contact me. We need all the help we can get.

Jennifer.Nanney@gmail.com