By Vicki, Office Manager at the Micah Center
At least 45 people come to the Micah Center each weekday. Being ready to welcome them requires a myriad of humble tasks. The volunteers who arrive before the doors open restock bathrooms and cleaning closets, brew urns of coffee, and bring supplies that will be needed from the basement to the main floor. They also think creatively about food donations we have received and leftover items in the refrigerator. For all their hustle and bustle in the early hours of the day, I say, “Thank you!”
During the six months of summer, we serve continental breakfast four days a week. Cereal, toast, hard-boiled eggs, coffee and juice are offered by cheerful volunteers who work from a wheeled cart in the café that seats 12 at a time. I never see their work because I am at the reception desk, but I cannot even imagine how they make it happen. What I do see is the kitchen and cart at the day’s end. They are neat, clean, and restocked. Often the kitchen looks better than I left it and my heart is full of gratitude for their caring.
From mid-morning to early afternoon the reception desk is a hive of activity. The phone rings, people make appointments and requests, mail and donations arrive, projects get done, and snack items are served. Calm, capable, confident volunteers step into the seemingly chaotic front desk space and keep all those plates spinning. They do it with compassion and good humor. Knowing I can leave the front desk to attend to other tasks makes my work easier and the end of the day smoother. I deeply appreciate their enthusiasm and commitment.
During the summer season, May through October, the Micah Center is even more vital for our guests. Old and new volunteers help us do what we do. Their humble service is a gift. If you would like to become a volunteer, go to our website to learn more about the Micah Center, St John’s Shelter, and Wellspring. The volunteer application is in the Volunteer section and current volunteers can sign-up for shifts on Volgistics.
