It just makes your heart tingle!

I am having such a great day today!!! Well, I am actually having a long day but some kiddo’s dropped off a bag of goodies and that just made my day.
I volunteer with a local underprivileged school in the area and today the kids are in my building thanking everyone who volunteers. I read to the kids, my kids are 1st graders and for the most part they are adorable. Sure, most of them are so bad that sometimes I think they are the devils spawn but for the most part they are decent kids. Except for that girl that looks at me raisers her hands towards me and calls me “Daddy”. That is just way to uncomfortable.
Anyway, I digress. The kids are in my office and they came by with a little reminder that today is “Ice Cream Social Day” and they would really enjoy it if we could all make it. Basically what we are going to do is sit around, talk to the kids and make them feel special. Along with their message they delivered a small brown paper bag, kind of like the one used to buy coffee, and on it was a cute little note with a bead that says “TOIT”. The note is a thanks for getting “around to it” and the bag is filled with goodies such as cookies, muffins, and chocolate. All of my favorite stuff, who say’s volunteering doesn’t pay off? Actually, the reward comes around Christmas when you get a HUGE hand made Christmas card with little special notes from the kids. The first year I volunteered I almost cried when the card was delivered to me. I still have that card and it is a good reminder of why I volunteer with these kids.
I recently got a call from another group I use to volunteer a few years ago and they asked me to be a judge in their competitions. I think the competitions are towards the middle of next month and I am really looking forward to doing this. The group is for Hispanic 8th grade students and it helps them build their public speaking skills through debate, acting, impromptu speaking, and one other category that I can’t remember right now. I am thinking about volunteering with this group again this coming school year but I have to consider if I really have the time to get involved. I would have to give up two evenings a week for about 4 or 5 months and train these kids to beat their competitors. The reward here is just as big as with the small kids. I have a note from one of my first students when he was applying as a volunteer with the program and his reason for wanting to volunteer was because he wanted to help other students the way I had helped him. It just makes my heart tingle all over!!