As our Summer Program picks up, we want to take this chance to look back at the Spring School semester to honor and thank one of our wonderful volunteers for all of the hard work she has been able to accomplish. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia would like to recognize Rachel Carson as our Volunteer of the Month! Rachel is a Virginia native who grew up in Winchester, Virginia and moved down to the Roanoke area 2 years ago after attending UNC-Asheville where she competed on their track team and earned a degree in Nutrition Science.
Rachel is currently working as a wellness professional for The Glebe, a local retirement community in Daleville, VA. After a local friend of hers told her about the opportunity to volunteer for The Boys & Girls Club, she was excited about the chance to give back to the community. Rachel has a passion for teaching people about living healthier lifestyles and she seized the opportunity to pass along her wealth of knowledge to our teens this past Spring semester by leading a health, wellness, and nutrition class every Monday.
When asked about her volunteer experience, Rachel said one thing that surprised her about working with The Boys & Girls Clubs was the commitment of our teenagers to attendance at our 9th Street Club. Rachel noted that “even after the kids are old enough to be home without their parents, you can tell they really enjoy being there.” She also remarked that her last volunteer experience “was special, because I really got to see the teens get creative. We started a healthy habits campaign where the teens were given the task of inspiring other Boys & Girls Club members to stay healthy over the summer. . . they decided to make a music video. It was fun watching and listening to them change the words of a song into a positive message!”
Rachel also noted that working with our staff was a great experience for her. She mentioned Tiffany Muse, our Unit Director, as one person who was “especially good at creating an environment where the kids could really learn and grow, while having fun.” Well Rachel, the feeling is mutual, thank you so much for all of your hard work volunteering. You too created an environment where our teens could learn, grow, and enjoy themselves while doing it and we were blessed to have you working with our Club!
