At Cashmere High School students are required to volunteer 6 hours or more each year, 24 in total. While some students aren’t that interested in volunteering, others like Mackenna Fritz and Ilsa Dronen appreciate giving their time to their community.
Mackenna Fritz, a Junior at CHS, volunteers at Camas Meadows Bible Camp. Mackenna has worked there for two summers mentoring and caring for kids and helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus.
Mackenna says, “My favorite part of volunteering is the amount of fulfillment I got from watching me and my colleagues make a difference in a kid’s life.” She continues to say, “I don’t work there anymore but I continue to volunteer in children’s ministry and worship at my church.”
Mackenna enjoys helping others. She says, “I think doing something to help others with no material benefit is one of the greatest, most genuine feelings.”
Mackenna was inspired to volunteer at the camp after attending the camp herself and experiencing such a positive change in her life after just one week with her counselors. She also says, “I think everyone should volunteer because doing something good and beneficial for someone else without expecting compensation is the truest form of kindness, and it will make you feel fulfilled and good inside as well.”
Ilsa Dronen, a sophomore at CHS, volunteers for the boys basketball team. Her favorite part of volunteering is meeting new people.
Ilsa got inspired by the people around her. She says, “I’m inspired and motivated by my family, coming from a family that has been very prominent in the community for years. I believe that growing up in a family with a good reputation gave me the mindset that I needed to make a good impression before I graduated, and I’m truly grateful for that.”
Ilsa also says,“It’s important to volunteer for anything, basketball, school activities, or the nursing home, because you don’t know the effect it has on anyone, even if it’s just an hour or two out of your day.”
Ilsa explains that it’s important to volunteer. She says, “I think that everyone should volunteer, and not just because they need the hours for graduation or to leave campus at lunch. It matters so much to just show up for the community, even if you think you didn’t make that much of a difference by being there. In the end, the hours on paper don’t matter; it’s you being involved that people will remember.”
Volunteering is clearly meaningful to the CHS community. Mackenna and Ilsa show that giving time to help out can create memories, positive change, and give people a purpose.
