August 29th Tiger Welcome Day of Service: Girls Inc. Farm Day

I had a great time at Girls Inc. I'm a very big fan of what they do, and I enjoyed the work they had us do.

During this immersive volunteer experience with Girls Inc., I improved my gardening and teamwork skills! I do not know a whole lot about gardening or tending to a big lawn, but I learned a lot through the leaders of this service. Gardening is such an important skill, especially now because the environment is depleting, and it is so important to grow your own fruits and veggies. This service really inspired me to want to grow my own garden and not have all the added preservatives. I had a lot of conversations, and we used a lot of teamwork to get the tasks done. It was fun to talk and relate to the people around me during this service because it made time fly. We contributed to Girls Inc.'s progress by helping some Girls Inc. girls complete their daily tasks. The heat was definitely challenging, but with conversation and laughter, before I even knew it, the service was over.

During this volunteer event, I helped spread mulch across a designated area and used tools to cut the grass along a fence. The work was physically demanding, especially due to the high temperatures. Although working outdoors presented challenges, I was familiar with this type of labor. Growing up, my parents taught me the importance of hard work, responsibility, and maintaining a strong work ethic, particularly when completing physically demanding tasks. Through this experience, I recognized that individuals have different backgrounds and levels of experience with outdoor work. Some of my peers expressed concerns about the heat and the physical demands of the task. I understood their concerns, as working outdoors in the summer can be challenging, especially in Memphis, Tennessee, during August. This experience taught me the importance of patience, adaptability, and maintaining professionalism when working with others. Rather than allowing differing perspectives to distract me from my responsibilities, I chose to remain focused on completing the task to the best of my ability. I understood that expressing my frustrations would not necessarily improve the situation and could create unnecessary tension within the group. Instead, I prioritized working efficiently and contributing to the team's overall goal. Ultimately, this experience helped me understand the value of remaining composed, respecting different perspectives, and maintaining a strong work ethic when faced with challenging circumstances.