I have volunteered at my local nursing home for four years and still enjoy every moment of it. The program I am involved with is the Adopt-A-Grandparent Program which allows children to get involved and make someone else's life happier. The part I love is when you walk in and see those smiling faces waiting for you to come visit and talk to them. I enjoy writing letters, reading mail and magazines, and just talking to the people at the nursing home. We enjoy each other's company. I learn about life from their past experiences and they learn what life is like for teenagers in the nineties. They also learn about how things have changed since they were teenagers. I think what surprised me the most was how much I had in common with them. We had many of the same interests which allowed us to become well acquainted and talk for hours.

Whenever I leave the nursing home, I leave with a feeling of pride and accomplishment. I always gain a good feeling from making someone else happy. The Adopt-A-Grandparent Program has given me the opportunity to meet and become friends with many interesting people. This program has also taught me how to deal with other people who may be totally different from me. Volunteering at my local nursing home has helped me become a more understanding person. I am very glad that I have had the opportunity to help my community in a way that I enjoy. fl