Setting a New Precedent
Reagan B., Bishop Eustace Preparatory School President, describes her efforts to expand her GlamourGals chapter beyond its normal activities in order to serve her community.
My GlamourGals experience has pushed me to be an advocate for all people and a loving member of my community. To go above and beyond the normal GlamourGals activities, I took the time to create various ideas of hands-on crafts to do with the residents such as hot chocolate reindeer bags and sunshine cards to brighten their day. I also focused on increasing the club size, spreading the message and goals of GlamourGals to my entire school. This moved our small club of 15 people to about 145 people in just a year. In order to truly serve our local senior communities I believe we need to gain as many volunteers and people who want to help as possible, so that the loneliness in senior communities can be put to an end.
It is more common to find organizations that focus on helping children and immigrants, but one community that is often overlooked is senior communities. GlamourGals is important to my community because there is nothing quite like it. Senior homes are often passed over and not given the attention they need. It was eye-opening to see how many senior homes were so enthusiastic to have visitors due to rarely receiving any help or visitors under normal circumstances. This has not only decreased loneliness in my local senior homes but also forced people in my community to notice the lack of support for the residents. Loss of family, medical, financial or health problems could all lead to residents needing to stay in senior homes, yet a fact that we seem to forget in my community is that we all grow older and soon we will need the same help that these residents deserve.
One major influence of GlamourGals that I never expected to see in myself is the way I can not only help the residents but also help my volunteers get comfortable and walk them through more difficult conversations. As a leader, this organization has challenged me to be the best example possible to my volunteers. It can be a little nerve racking or uncomfortable when speaking to a resident that has memory problems, for example. Having a conversation and needing to repeat the same questions or topics over and over can make some volunteers become frustrated; this is where I remind them of the significance of this one conversation, and how it will brighten the residents’ day. Though it might not seem like a lot to us, it might be the most they have been spoken to that day. As an individual I believe I have become more comfortable with myself and my ability to help others of all ages and abilities.
GlamourGals has taught me many lessons and the residents' stories have given me a new view to life and I hope I can pass down this same experience and desire to help to the future leaders of Bishop Eustace.