Karma Rakow

I absolutely loved volunteering for MAS. This was my first time volunteering for them, and I had a really positive experience. I have volunteered for multiple other shelters in my past, and it is obvious how much the volunteers genuinely care about the animals they care for. My job for this day was to take a dog out on a field trip to make sure that the animals got to go out in the community and get some social time outside of the shelter to hopefully help them get adopted. I worked with Jazz, who was a sweet little dog with one of the best temperaments I've ever seen. She was outgoing and friendly with other people. I felt like I was actually getting to make a difference in volunteering for MAS. There is so much negativity towards shelters on social media, and I felt like getting to work with them and help give a dog a good time was an opportunity for me to help make a difference and improve the reputation of the shelter overall while helping sweet Jazz. Ana was wonderful to work with. She was responsive and knowledgeable about the dogs and about volunteering there. I would love to volunteer for the animal field trip again and take another dog out for a nice day.

This was a very unique volunteering experience because for once there were too many volunteers at an event! I have never experienced that and it was really interesting. Because there were so many people, I ended up doing a bunch of odd jobs instead of tabling. I brought water to vendors and helped in the HIV-STD testing room to make sure that paperwork was filled out before someone else administered shots.
I really enjoyed getting to see all the vendors and the resources they offered- but the best part was seeing people get gender-affirming care in the way of haircuts, manicures, and personal care items. I cannot wait for my next opportunity to volunteer with them.

I worked with a team of OutMemphis employees and volunteers to help set up and run the event. I had such a great time getting to know everyone while on the ground. This is a cause that is really important to me, and I volunteered before I knew everything about the rainbow books bus. I just wanted to help spread LGBT+ books to kids because I know I didn't have those when I was a kid. It was only later that I learned the Book Bus was operated with Dr. Cervini and RuPaul in association- how cool is that!
I always love volunteering with OutMemphis, but this experience was especially meaningful to me.

I had such a great time at OutMemphis today. I helped with cleaning out the community center by sweeping, dusting, sanitizing, and organizing/cleaning out the community fridge and pantry. Once I finished, I assisted with an administrative task of organizing paperwork for one of the employees.

I volunteered for the Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil. I feel like I say this in all of my reflections for OutMemphis, but I really love them. I was assigned to work lighting candles for the vigil, but I ended up doing a little bit of everything. I helped set up the candlelight altar that I made all the names for the last time I volunteered there, helped with the concession stand, and lit candles for the people who were participating. After the ceremony was done, I helped with takedown and cleanup, and then they gave me a bunch of flyers to hand out to my residents in the dorms. It was a really wonderful time, and it was really moving hearing everyone's experiences.

Rebekah Fahey  3 years ago Hi Karma, please update your reflection according to the guiding questions outlined on page 18 of the EL Handbook.

I had SUCH a great time volunteering for OutMemphis. They are my favorite place to volunteer and it was so nice to see everyone again. I had originally signed up to help clean the community center, however, they were having their Thanksgiving community meal, so I ended up doing a variety of different tasks instead. I swept up the floors before people arrived for dinner to help make the center look cleaner before people arrived for dinner, then I got assigned to help make signs for the Trans Day of Rememberance vigil that I will be volunteering for on Monday. Lastly, I helped with making giveaway bags for the local homeless population for a future project that OutMemphis will be hosting.
I cannot wait to go back on Monday to help with the vigil.

Rebekah Fahey  3 years ago Hi Karma, please update your reflection according to the guiding questions outlined on page 18 of the EL Handbook.

I spent time with the honors college for their third annual Trap, Neuter, and Release program (TNR). The goal of the time was to go into the neighborhood on Watauga Ave and set safe traps for the feral cats so they could be brought to the clinic, spayed/neutered, and then rereleased after a few days. We met up at 4:45pm at the honors college, where Jonathan showed us how the traps worked, what we would be doing, and gave us fluorescent vests to verify our safety. We spent time walking through the neighborhood, and all the members had some involvement either with setting the traps/setting the bait, or checking the traps after they had been set. Unfortunately, we did not catch any feral cats that evening, but it was a really good introduction to TNR and animal work, and we were able to educate some of the neighborhood residents about the type of community service work that can be done, and how they can help with the feral cat situation in their neighborhood.