Tax Time

This past week was a cold one here in Wichita Falls, Texas.  We missed out on the snow that Oklahoma got, but had temperatures in the teens and some icy mornings, which kept us from doing outreach a few days.  Eventually we decided that it might be best if we did outreach anyways, but confine it to businesses and schools so that we were traveling mostly in the truck and van and just running information inside.

However, the bad weather did give us the opportunity one afternoon to meet a great member of the community and visit her youth center.  Brenda Jarrett runs the Youth Opportunities Center on the East Side of Wichita Falls.  Brenda's center is a historic building in the neighborhood and provides a space for the kids of the neighborhood to come, hang out, express themselves, and develop their talents.  On Saturdays volunteers come in and offer piano, guitar, drums, art, and boxing lessons.  Brenda has offered the youth in the area programs such as finding businesses that would allow the kids to spray paint the sides of their buildings legally, instead of vandalizing them at night.  She told us stories about how the kids that came when she first opened the center are now bringing their kids there too.  The Youth Opportunities Center seems like such a great program with so much potential, but not enough funding.  The building is a perfect space, but lacks central heating and air and major repairs need to be made to the roof and interior of her teen building, which is not usable right now.  So, we decided we would offer her information to become a potential sponsor for AmeriCorps NCCC and recommend her to the Denver Campus.  That way, she would have the opportunity to have a team and offer more programs during the week for a limited time and get some construction help potentially for the buildings.  Keep your fingers crossed for her!

Tomorrow we start our first official week of tax filing.  At least half the team will be filing taxes every day this week for employees of local businesses, and Saturday will be the first day we are open to the public.  So far, I think 2-1-1 has scheduled quite a few appointments for Saturday, and I am sure that there will be a lot of walk-ins as well.  Unfortunately I think the space only provides for 16 computers and this will still be cramped.  Hopefully it won't be too chaotic with all of us trying to ask questions at once. 

Other than that we don't have anything too special planned for the week.  My team leader and I took the challenge of being vegetarians for the week, today being day 1, and I have already decided this is not the lifestyle for me.  I was so jealous of everyone eating meat at dinner tonight, but I am pretty sure I can tough through it until next Monday.  Thursday we are going back to the roller skating rink for PT, which I could get used to doing.  It is a work out, but fun for us as a team at the same time, so no complaints there.  Hopefully I will have some inspirational tax stories for y'all by the end of the week, but we don't get another day off until Sunday so who knows when I will post again.  I am trying to do better though, bear with me!

From Trash Pick-Up to Tax Certification & Everything in Between

Yesterday completed our first week here in Wichita Falls, Texas, and we had quite a few unique experiences thrown in there.

Work was pretty average for the most part.  We spent our mornings working on our tax training at the office until Friday, when we went to Midwestern State University and took the first two tests to become certified.  Friday morning I missed the review because I had to go to the doctor's office.  Unfortunately I have bronchitis, which I came down with on Wednesday and am still not quite over.  We completed our certification yesterday morning, and are officially allowed to file people's tax returns.  Annie, Josh and I went with our supervisor Susanna this morning and filed 9 returns.  I was surprised by how much easier the returns were to actually file than the scenarios we had practiced with and been tested on.  Why do they always make the tests so much harder than the actual situations?

Outreach was a little less normal than training.  Since we were left to plan a strategy on our own, we were not real familiar with the neighborhoods or the best way to go door to door and hang materials.  We worked pretty slow and only made it through two neighborhoods by the end of the week.  Today, we went to one of the rural areas about twenty minutes outside of the city and covered the main neighborhood that we were hoping to canvas, but we still have to go back and pass materials out to the different target businesses. 

Before we began outreach last week, our supervisors told us to be careful, make sure we walk in pairs, and be mindful of people's dogs.  Well, my team leader and one of my teammates were covering a street that looped into one of the main roads, so they decided to work from opposite ends and meet each other in the middle.  This seemed like an efficient way to cover the street, so off they went.  However, my team leader only made it to two houses before a large dog came bounding from behind one of the houses.  The dog was growling, hair on end trying to corner my team leader, but all she could do was to continue backing down the street.  She ended up calling 911 and having animal control come to get the dog.  Moral of the story; not all dogs are nice, but don't run away from them.

We also tried to experience a few local things during the week.  On Wednesday, we went to the local roller skating rink and skated for our physical training.  It was fun to do something like that since most of us hadn't been since we were in middle school.  We also went to a local BBQ restaurant called The Branding Iron and experienced our first Texas BBQ.  It is a lot different than South Carolina BBQ, and I considered what I ate to be more along the lines of hash, but everyone really enjoyed it and it was a ton of food.  We are all looking forward to trying out a Mexican restaurant this weekend and going to the batting cages on Thursday as a team.

Wichita Falls, Texas doing Taxes

We arrived in Wichita Falls, Texas yesterday afternoon, and we were greeted by our supervisors, Lana and Susanna.  They showed us around our Spike housing, which happens to be one of their former employers homes. It is so nice.  It is a two story home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms a nice kitchen and a front and back yard. It is definitely a change from the apartments in Arkansas and dorm life in Denver.  It is almost like being at home, minus quite a bit of furniture. 

The first night in the house was fun.  We went out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse, fitting right?  Afterward we went shopping and got a few necessities for groceries and then returned to the house.  We then proceeded to play sardines and hide and seek.  This house has so many good spots...it was a good time.  It's the little things in life that keep us entertained in Americorps.

Today was our first day of work with the United Way.  We arrived this morning at the office, and they had prepared breakfast for us and invited a few prominent members of the town to welcome us.  We spoke with the director of the Wichita Falls United Way, the mayor, and the county judge.  It was great to feel really welcomed by the town, who seemed really excited to have us here for the next two months.  We spent the rest of the day learning more about the United Way of Wichita Falls, the programs it offers, as well as the tax program we will be participating in.  Wichita Falls United Way focuses its funds and programs on Income , Health, and Education including programs for families and service men and women who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The program we will be involved with is the VITA program.  VITA is an acronym for Voluntary Income Tax Assistance.  We will be filing taxes for working individuals earning below a certain yearly income.  This service is free of charge and also is used to help people find out about the EITC, Earned Income Tax Credit as well as other credits they might qualify for on their return.  Also, this year for the first time the United Way is providing rural mobile filing sites, which will allow us to get out and interact with community members that are unable to make it to other sites or are generally unaware of the program.

At first I was not excited to be coming to Texas to help people with their taxes, but I am more excited after today.  This program is important to this community and its economy.  It is helping people get money that they never realized they could, which could help their lives significantly.  I am also excited to get to use some of the knowledge and skills I learned as a business major in college.  I have questioned several times why I went to college and majored in the areas I did, but this will be a reminder of how much I enjoyed learning about business and different aspects of the economy.

We will be training for the next two weeks, becoming certified on potentially 3 different levels.  My blog will probably not be very interesting in regards to my training, but we are already planning some cool ISPs and fun things to do while we are here.  Our sponsors have made a ton of suggestions for us and have already received invitations from members of the community to host us for dinners.  I will be sure to post plenty of pictures, since we are allowed to take them now.

Leaving Little Rock

This past weekend was our last in Little Rock and next to last until I fly home for Christmas.  It is definitely a bittersweet feeling.  I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my family, especially after being gone for the first time on Thanksgiving, and spending New Years with my friends, but I am going to miss Children’s Hospital and the team. 

To celebrate our last weekend a few of us tried to fit in as much as possible, so Saturday we attended the basketball game vs. Ole Miss.  The game was great, but UALR lost.  However, the coach did invite us to come and watch them play in Denver on Jan. 2^nd, so I think a few of us that will be back in town are going to try and go to it.  The next day, Emma, Annie, Kiera, and I got up and went to Pinnacle Mtn. where we hiked the West Summit.  It was so cold and windy, but totally worth it for the view.  It’s the closest to outdoor rock climbing I will probably ever come.  After that we went to the Clinton Library, which I loved.  I could have spent days there just reading about all the things he did during his presidency and everything he is doing now to continue and try to make the world a better place.  I definitely plan on looking into the Clinton School of Public Service and CGI, as well as several other programs he has started.

This week is a short work week for us.  We worked today, will work tomorrow, and then travel back to Denver for the next two days.  To say thank you to our team today, all of our supervisors joined us for a luncheon.  We introduced ourselves and told everyone what units we had been working in, and then our supervisors went around and thanked all of us individually for the work we have been doing.  Talk about a confidence booster.  This entire time I was worried if I was doing a good enough job, and all the supervisors had nothing but nice things to say about all of us.  My afternoon supervisors gave me two really sweet cards that I will cherish, and our main supervisor, Melissa, gave us all grab bags from Volunteer Services full of goodies.  It was a great way to start the week.  I’m looking forward to going to work tomorrow and making the most of my last day.

I won’t be posting anything until I return to Denver, so if you need to know about what I am doing over the holiday, call me.  Most likely I will be spending it with those of you who are reading my blog anyways!

"And I was like, 'OK, Where is the camera?'"

This past week has been one of the most challenging weeks I have faced in my life so far; with flight delays, a funeral, incident reports, and the busy atmosphere of the hospital.

When I got news week before last that Arlyn (who I could never describe in just a few words, but most well known as my loving friend and roommate) had lost her father to a year long battle with cancer.  I was devastated.  I was upset with myself that I was not there to be with Arlyn, upset that I did not get to see him one last time, and mad that such a wonderful man and loving father was taken away from family and friends.  Mr. Baer was my dad in Spartanburg throughout college.  He treated me like I was his daughter, always greeting me with a hug and a kiss and conversations about my classes and how my family was doing.  Mr. Baer is a man that I greatly respect and love, so I knew I would do whatever I had to in order to make it to his funeral.  I let Ar and the rest of the girls know that I was coming home and started looking for flights.  I booked my flight home for Monday, the night before the funeral, however, my flight was later delayed and cancelled for unknown reasons.  I worked it out with the airline to have my ticket changed to fly me into GSP the next morning, and I was able to make it in time to have lunch with my friends, attend the visitation, and the funeral.  The ceremony was beautiful and something Mr. Baer would surely be touched by, but embarrassed to have his family tell such wonderful stories about him.  Ar spoke and played the violin for him one last time, she stood up in front of all of us bravely and stronger than I have ever seen her.  I love you Arlyn and appreciate and care for your family more than you will ever know.

I returned that same night to Little Rock, rested, and went to work the next morning.  I was exhausted.  My supervisors, as has been their character throughout, recognized how tired I was and with complete understanding, gave me some more relaxed tasks for the next two days while I caught up on my sleep.  Friday proved to be eventfully making up for the two previous days though.  In the Holiday tradition, choirs, bands, and various performers have been coming to spread some Holiday cheer in the atrium of the lobby for all the patients and families since the first day of December.  Since Volunteer Services is over this programming and has it broadcasted over CCTV (the hospital’s own channel), I was given the task of running the camcorder.  I have really enjoyed doing this for the second half of each morning.  It’s fun to interact with other volunteers and to speak with families as they bring down their patients to watch.  Unfortunately, Friday did not go as smoothly as the rest.  The second group was an elementary aged choir, who had arrived an hour early and had been playing outside for that time.  They came in, lined up, and I began recording.  Shortly after they began their second song, one of the children passed out and fell forward onto the tile floor.  The child was upset and bleeding, so I had admissions call back to the ER, and I got a wheelchair and pushed him back.  Once I had him squared away and chaperones were with him, I went back out to the choir, who was still performing, to make sure that everyone was ok and try to console the kids who had stepped off camera because they were upset.  About two minutes after I returned, another child passed out.  Luckily the child did not fall, but had a medical condition which was made aware to the STAT team, and they called a code, which means we had to sit there until all the nurses and doctors arrived and then admit the child into the ER as well.   Since that has all been said and done, I have become a running joke among my supervisors.  I have apparently written the most incident reports of any Americorps ever placed at the hospital.  What a title to hold.

Taxes in Texas

First of all, I want to thank everyone that has sent me a card, letter, and especially my parents, Aunt Sandra, and grandparents for my fabulous Thanksgiving package. It is so nice to get mail while I am here in Arkansas, especially around the holidays.

Second of all, I want to apologize that I have not talked about my assignment or the hospital more in my blog.  It’s difficult to tell much about my days without discussing patients and interactions with them, but I obviously am unable to share too much information about them and don’t feel there is too much else to share outside of those interactions. 

I can say that the hospital is gearing up for the holidays and preparing for one of the busiest times of the year there.  I helped the nurses in the Neuro unit decorate the playroom by cutting out and hanging snowflakes from the ceilings.  The room is pretty plain and doesn’t have too many activities in it, so I think it made the room much more welcoming for the patients.  I have also been helping prepare for Christmas day by pulling toys and different stocking stuffer items for the patients that will be spending the holiday at the hospital.  I can’t imagine being sick on Christmas day, much less spending it in a sterile hospital room without a Christmas tree or a big dinner at my grandparent’s house.  Volunteering there over the holidays has definitely made me appreciate being able to spend that time with my family.

This morning at the hospital I was able to record 2 music groups that came to perform for the patients.  A Spanish class and a hand bell choir came and performed various Christmas carols and some religious songs.  I couldn’t have asked for a better job.  I got to listen to the groups perform and broadcast it in the patients rooms, so that the ones on bed rest could enjoy them as well.  My supervisor says that we will be having at least 1 group perform everyday for the rest of the time I am here and all the way through the end of December.

This week my team and I did our first Independent Service for this round.  We were able to volunteer with a group called CARTI, which provides transportation and treatments for Chemo and Radiation patients.  Every year CARTI hosts the Festival of Trees as a major fundraiser for the organization.  The Festival of Trees is a big three day event that has several different things going on including a father-daughter dance, a silent auction, and a black-tie ball.  We volunteered to help with the set up of the space that these events will be taking place in, so we were able to help with clean up and small jobs and even got to decorate a few trees.  This weekend we are going to do two more ISPs involving the holiday season.  Saturday morning we are going to help with pet pictures with Santa for Care Rescue Center, and that afternoon we are going to help with crowd control for the annual Christmas Parade.

It’s crazy to think that we only have a little over a week left here, and then we will be returning to Denver, and I will be returning home.  Arkansas has been fun; I went to my first and probably last Razorback tailgate, went ice-skating for the first time, and met some unforgettable kids.  I can’t complain, this was a great first round.

Unfortunately, I am not thrilled about our second round.  We found out yesterday that we will be in Wichita Falls, Texas doing taxes.  Yup, taxes.  Not only taxes, but working with a predominately Spanish-speaking community.  We are all trying to stay positive and remember, “there is no such thing as a bad project,” but it might be a struggle for us to come to grips with this.  Once we get there, I know we will make the best of it, but for now I am going to sulk about it.  Hopefully, I will find some fun things to do there that will boost my spirits.  If anyone else feels the need, please find something fun to do for me!

The Thing I am Most Thankful for this Year

This week was a short work week for us because of the Thanksgiving Holiday.  We worked Monday to Wednesday as usual, and then were off the rest of the week.  Work was a little slow this week because most of the patients were being discharged for the holiday.  Most of the patients that I do bedsides with in the afternoons were already discharged by my shift on Wednesday, so I imagine that next week will be completely new patients for me, which is exciting and disappointing at the same time.  It’s great that most of the kids were able to go home for the holiday, but disappointing that some of the one’s I had spent time with I won’t see again.

This year was the first Thanksgiving that I haven’t spent with my family, which was really strange.  My team spent Thanksgiving with two Water teams that are also in Arkansas.  We had a potluck lunch where the three teams contributed different foods and drinks and ate at the camp where Water 2 is working.  The day definitely felt like an awkward family holiday, where Fire 6 was the redheaded stepchild of the family.  It’s definitely hard to get together in large groups like that, especially when two of the teams are from the same unit, spent all of training together, and formed bonds that we weren’t able to for the most part.  I’m glad to say though, I think the day definitely brought the team closer together, and I was so thankful to have them as my team compared to other possibilities.  I think the hardest thing about Thanksgiving was not being able to have lunch at my grandparents’ house.  I am so used to doing that every year and drawing names for Christmas gift exchange that I felt left out when my mom called and passed the phone around to the rest of our family. 

                       

The rest of the week and weekend were filled with activities.  Friday, I went hiking with Chris and hung out at camp for a bit.  Then, that afternoon I went with my team to the University of Arkansas in Little Rock Men’s basketball game, which they won.  Saturday, me and a couple of my teammates went to the Arkansas V. LSU tailgate, which took me back to the good times at W. B. stadium with my Gamecock friends. 

Basically, it made me miss home and the fall in the South.  There is really nothing like it.  Every weekend is filled with die-hard football fans tailgating, cheering on their teams, and either celebrating the win or sulking over the loss.  Mild weather and weekends spent at bonfires with good friends.  Does life get any better?