ElderArts Sunday
A few weekends ago I joined my roommate Lily and our friend Meredith as volunteers for the ElderArts art show at UCSF's SOMA campus. ElderArts is a program put on by the volunteer organization ElderGivers that helps the older members of our society take art classes and express themselves through drawing or painting.
I didn't get any pictures of the displayed art but it was a really inspiring showcase. Some of the pieces were simple but clearly filled with emotion, some were more detailed and impressively complex, but all of them reminded me of why it is important to fulfill your creative side. Being a fully formed human being is not just retaining your mental capabilities but your emotional ones as well, and being able to express those emotions in a way like these art classes (taught by volunteer teachers around the Bay Area) allows is just as important as going to physical therapy or doing sudoku to preserve your math skills.
It was a great cause, a great event, and I look forward to volunteering next year! I want to find more opportunities to give back, not just around the holidays when people are reminded of their sense of community, but all year long.
Do you have any programs or organizations you like to volunteer with? Share in the comments section! I'd love some new ideas.