#9 Nursing Home BINGO

Last night I did a very special volunteer opportunity.  I played BINGO with elderly people in a nursing home!  This event was so special because of the look on the residents' faces when we showed up. When volunteering, there may not always be instant feel-good rewards for the good thing you did.  For example, when I volunteered at Second Harvest Food Bank we didn't see the look on the faces of those we were helping.  We had to imagine it.  The nice thing about BINGO with the elderly folks was feeling the immediate excitement from them that people came to spend time with them.  A lot of the residents don't have anyone to come visit them and they are lonely.  It was a complete joy to watch their faces light up when we talked with them and helped them play.

Another reason why this was so special is that my friend, Julie, joined me.  Like me, Julie has a desire to volunteer when she can.  It is so important to have friends that enjoy doing the same things you do.  I met Julie through Sylvan Park Urban Runners, the running club I joined almost a year ago.  Julie has a son that is a few weeks older than E, so we became fast friends in bonding over first-time motherhood while running and trying to get back in shape post-pregnancy.  The funny thing is, Julie was looking through opportunities on Hands On Nashville and sent me a text about playing BINGO at the nursing home and I had literally just signed up for that same event!  Great minds think alike!  I have to say that this was the most fun experience to date just because I had someone to share it with.

Julie getting excited to play some BINGO!

Volunteering with a friend is so much fun!!!

Now onto BINGO...

Volunteers for this event are asked to bring a $1-$2 gift for the winner's table.  I have got to say that the quote "One man's trash is another man's treasure" is a true statement!  You would not believe the knick-knack stuff that people brought that just made the residents so excited to win!  I now know that they are not as big of fans of crossword puzzles and Sudoku like I thought, but LOVE baseball hats, cheap jewelry, and old pens. haha!  Everyone won several times and when the volunteers won, we gave our prize to a resident who may not have won as much as the others.  I gave a hideous glass fish paper-weight to the lady I was helping and she looked at me as if I gave her the most precious thing in the world.  Very sweet! After BINGO, we passed out a plate of treats and soda to the folks.  We then cleaned up and said our goodbyes.  The group that Julie and I played with pretty much begged for us to come back and we both agreed that we would get back when we could--and we meant it!

Our fantastic group

Helping out.  B 4 anyone?

If you live in the Nashville area and are interested in joining in on this fun activity, go to http://www.hon.org/ for more information.  It's at J.B. Knowles Home for the Aged and they play BINGO every third Wednesday of the month.  If you are not in the Nashville area and you would like to do something like this, contact your local nursing home and see if they have anything like this.  Or, better yet, start it if they don't have it.  You will bring so much joy to the people who live there!

Until next time...

Julie with the cutest "couple"!

Getting my BINGO on!