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We volunteer

18th Aug 2014
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The volunteers’ organisation came up with several suggestions for our team awayday:

  • Painting and cleaning a local sports club building, which is also used by youth groups like Scouts and Guides:
  • Joining an initiative to weed elderly people’s gardens:
  • Delivering Meals on Wheels:
  • Clearing a riverside footpath that this summer’s sun and heavy rains have left very overgrown.

We shared those suggestions with the team.

Mrs Dragon still professes to have a bad back and said that delivering Meals on Wheels was the only one she would be happy to do.

BD, being a keen gardener, favoured either weeding the gardens or clearing the footpath.

No 2, seeing as GoApe wasn’t on the horizon, said he’d like to paint the sports club, at least partly because his little sister’s Brownie Pack use it.

“Why don’t the Scouts and Guides paint it?” enquired Mrs Dragon, not unreasonably.

“They may well do if we decide we don’t want to,” I explained.

“That’s good, because I’ll be able to help with that,” said No 2 cheerfully.  “OK, put me down for whatever then.”

“I’m not very keen on the whole idea anyway,” said CD.  “Let’s just have some beers and pizza in the office one evening.”

The rest of the developers and designers liked that idea – “Let’s have a beer-tasting if we have to, but I’m not keen on getting out of the office for a whole day,” CD went on.

“Not even a morning?”

“I suppose we could manage a morning,” CD said doubtfully.

He then started to look quite pleased.

“Actually going round the town in a little van delivering meals on wheels could be fun.”

We’ve decided that’s what we’re going to do.  It might only take a couple of hours out, but it’ll be enjoyable, not too physically difficult – because if Mrs Dragon really does have a bad back, we should make sure she’s not left out – and benefit the community.

That’s happening later this week.

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Replies (5)

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By Brend201
18th Aug 2014 14:24

Forgive me for being a bit negative on the Meals on Wheels.

Who delivers the MoW on the days when your people are not available (i.e. the other 364 days of the year)? Do the MoW people look regularly for volunteers?  Would it not be better for someone to volunteer one day a week or month?

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By B Roberts
18th Aug 2014 15:21

I agree .....
... delivering Meals on Wheels for one day might be "fun" for you, but what about the people who deliver meals all year round ?

Why not just go for the pizza in the office option (during an extended lunch break rather than at the end of the day), at least then you can dispense with this charitable charade.

Also, what is with all the comments about Ms Dragons health ? - are you suggesting that she doesn't have a bad back ? (why would she lie ?).

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By User deleted
18th Aug 2014 15:49

Lack of listening

So Mrs D isn't really up for it. CD isn't up for it. The developers and designers aren't up for it (agreeing to beer & pizza in the office = sitting at your desk eating pizza and drinking beer then buggering off home = saving having to make / buy your dinner when you get home).

So why exactly is this happening?

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By mrme89
18th Aug 2014 18:09

My dad used to work for a company delivering meals on wheels.

 

I hope these private companies are not looking for volunteers on a regular basis. They make very good profits, the least they could do is employ real staff.

 

It's not just a matter of throwing a meal through a pensioners door and getting on your way either. You have to check their wellbeing. It was a regular occurence to find clients had died. How would your staff react to finding a body?

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By ian339
18th Aug 2014 18:11

This was originally meant...

... to encourage team-building. So how many of you will fit in a little van to deliver meals on wheels? Get stuck in to something meaty like clearing the footpath - it'll take organisation & teamwork, and you can ask Mrs D to hand out wellies, tea & provide Ralgex for aching backs.

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