The HFHWC Volunteering Experience

*Guest Author: Habitat for Humanity Wellington County Volunteer, Rebecca Smith:

I’m a Do-It-Yourself junkie, I’ll fully admit it, and I’ve been coming to the Habitat for Humanity Wellington County’s ReStore for a long time, so when a friend suggested I sign up on their Volunteer Hub and volunteer at the ReStore I thought why not? I have now been volunteering at Habitat for Humanity Wellington County for the past five months and it has been a very rewarding experience, one I would highly recommend to anyone looking to make a difference or just have fun!

My first volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity Wellington County was in the ReStore, where I got to help unload trucks, organize inventory, set up a new Christmas display and help a shopper  find exactly what she was looking for (gorgeous oversized tiles that were being used to restore a bathroom).  The best part about the morning was the great new people I got to meet. Everyone was so friendly and willing to include me in their tasks, it was fun start to finish! And I didn’t leave empty handed I purchased a side table, which I have since painted and made into a fantastic nightstand.

After my time in the ReStore I started volunteering in the front office where I have not only got to accomplish a lot, but I have learned so much. I have helped out with writing blogs, researching social media stats, following facebook and twitter accounts (@HFHWC), and so much more. The great thing about volunteering in the front office is the wealth of knowledge I have gained. Luke, the Fundraising and Communications Coordinator has taught me so much about social media, which I can now take and apply to my career.  It’s interesting how I started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Wellington County to help others and yet I’m personally gaining a lot from my experiences.

Last Tuesday a friend and I went to help build at 28 Huron Street as part of their reading week blitz. I got the chance to put my painting stills to use and helped paint one side of the house. Volunteering at this build was a lot of fun, I met some great new friends and we had a blast rockin’ out to some old school Will Smith while we cut in, rolled and generally had a great time!

My experience volunteering at Habitat for Humanity Wellington County has been amazingly positive from day one. If you’re looking to volunteer I strongly recommend coming to Habitat for Humanity Wellington County, it’s really easy to sign-up on their Volunteer Hub, you get to pick the types of volunteering you want to do (ReStore, front office or build site), there’s pancake breakfasts,  and you meet so many other helpful and friendly people. Whether it’s at the Restore, in the office or out at the build site, I plan on continuing to volunteer and hopefully I’ll see you there!