Lakeland Harvest Festival

How did this experience challenge your problem-solving abilities?
There was a point during the event when I was assigned a new task and quickly had to learn how to function within my new role. I was initially confused about what I was to do, but after working through some issues, I quickly became comfortable running the booth.

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?
I do not live in Lakeland, so it was nice to see new friendly faces! The people who attended were incredibly kind, and I had meaningful conversations with quite a few people.

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your
experience?
I worked near someone else, but we were both doing separate tasks. It was nice to have someone in my proximity to talk to in downtime, and as such I think my experience benefitted from it.

Do you plan to continue volunteering with this organization? Why or why not?
Absolutely! Everyone was incredibly kind, and the event ran very smoothly. I would love to do this again.

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
I had to set up an inflatable arch before the event began. As it is something I have never done before, I was initially confused. After reading the instructions; however, I understood what to do and it turned out great!

This experience was amazing! I learned a lot about communication, including talking with families and encouraging them to join the numerous competitions going on during this festival. I also learned a lot about the Lakeland area and how the Lakeland community is tight-knit, and they have an amazing community spirit. The new connections I made were a couple of leaders on the City of Lakeland team. All the leaders that I met were extremely nice and made me feel welcome. One unexpected challenge I faced was when I had to take names for wavers for the hayride; some parents got frustrated that their kids couldn't just immediately get on the hayride. I had to talk calmly to the parents and give them a reason why safety is the number one concern and how signing a waiver before entering the ride is required. I definitely hope to volunteer during this event in the future. I had an amazing time, and I loved getting to know the Lakeland community! Overall, I am extremely happy with this service, and I can't wait to go back next year!

Alex Harris  2 years ago You both did a wonderful job! Thank you for jumping in where needed and being eager to learn and help with the festival. We look forward to seeing you again next year, great job!