How did Volunteering at Reyes Adobe go?

Context

The Reyes Adobe Celebration is hosted each year and happens over the weekend. My brother, in Boy Scouts, marched in the Saturday parade. On the second day, I was there to earn my volunteering credit for NHS.

A Breakdown

The Drive

My call time was 10:30 am. I spent my morning preparing my bag and getting ready. I wore some comfortable clothes, leggings and an oversized T-shirt with a cap. Google Maps directed me to the entrance, which was blocked off as the road was used for the event. I rerouted when through the residential area, and parked a little bit away from the event. I jogged down from the neighborhood to the event. I wrote the street down in my family’s group chat to ensure I knew the location of my car.

Signing In

I went to the sign-in tent and received my turquoise bandana. This indicated to the adults that I am a volunteer. I was then directed to where I was initially signed up, Bookmarks and Storytelling.

Bookmarks and Storytelling

I made my way over and introduced myself to the other volunteers. There were three other girls there. Our job was to manage children who came over to color bookmarks and tell them stories if interested. I got to know the girls by shooting the traditional conversation questions. One of them was an old friend, so I mostly listened to her talk about her despise toward our High School. I suppose I can relate in the sense I am indeed ready to graduate.

Some roles got swapped around where she left to work at the “Grateful House,” or the Reyes Adobe Museum. A guy came over, and I shot the same conversation questions. Turns out, he was the president of the club I was there for. We hadn’t had the first meeting, but it is a bit funny I casually struck conversation without knowledge of his position. And, the vice was there, albeit at the museum.

Some kids came over. A mom with two little white kids came over, and they colored. The president went over and read them a story from our selection of books. I think it was about penguins. We had one other set of kids after these two. Two Asian kids, who didn’t primarily speak English. I rainbow-organized our materials to make the table more appealing in our off time.

Turns out, the girls who left Bookmarks and Storytelling for the Museum did not want to stay volunteering there. They texted the president they wanted to switch back out. All the volunteers were in duos except myself and the president, so we went to the museum to see what was the issue.

Museum

Entering the museum, the vice and old friend volunteer approached us, saying they did not like working with one of the people there. The museum was about the size of a master bedroom with three of the walls decked out in information and objects, and one wall being a large glass door. There was AC and it was nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, so we were inclined to switch with them.

An old, deaf, black woman came over. She was very, very energetic, but incredibly sweet. She explained we needed to:

  • Press play on the video when it stopped: There was a video playing on a TV that we are to loop. There is a little triangle/play button we press when the video stops.
  • Let people who enter know where the Adobe House is: It was outside, just down the way from the museum. It’s one of the main attractions.
  • Describe facts and information about the contents of the museum: I took APUSH, so history facts are a breeze for me now. I explained to the president some of them so we both could explain what this museum was about.
  • Tell people who enter why it’s called the Grateful House: Louise, the old black woman, told me this. “We call this the Grateful House because, without the people on these walls, we wouldn’t be here as we are today.”

    As people came in, we got more used to welcoming them in. After a couple of hours, the two people wanted to switch back. After some discussion, most of the volunteers worked in the museum. Louise pulled me aside, and told me that: “I was a teacher for 57 years! Do you know why?”
    Typically when an adult asks you something to teach you a lesson, you just ask them what, as they go in preferring you don’t know, otherwise their time is wasted.
    “To bring hope. I pray to the sweet lord each night, to instill hope in at least one student with the knowledge of the past. Now, I want you dear volunteers to do the same.”

    I find that will in her admirable, and to be frank, her words have still lingered in my mind. On rare occasion is the advice bestowed upon me by strangers or adults applicable or even helpful. The assumptions many individuals have is I lack understanding of the world around me, and that I do not seek to know. However, Louise understood that I lack the understanding of our world yet, but I am open to learn.

The drive home, my phone overheated, and I drove the school, and then home from there. the school I knew how to get to from where I was, and from school I knew how to get home.

Final Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed my time volunteering at the Reyes Adobe Event. I learned a thing or too, and some fun facts about the lives that resided here long ago. Thank you for reading!

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