On Thursday December 8, 2011, I volunteered with my mom and dad at the Idaho Botanical Garden. My dad is a Rotarian. His Rotary Club members and their families had signed up to volunteer for the evening at the gardens. My family was in charge of the tent which served the refreshments.

When my family reached the tent, there was already hot chocolate and apple cider available, in large “hot boxes,” with four large trays of cookies. As people came in we served them their choice of beverage and they helped themselves to the cookies. There were some children who were very excited to get a cookie and cocoa. They were so cute!

The Botanical Garden was indescribable! Everywhere you looked there were lights. All the trees, bushes, railings and stairs were lit up with bright colors. In one section of the Botanical Garden there was an electric train track with five separate trains running. Each train was computer controlled with an individual control for each train. Each train was controlled by a different person. I visited with them about the trains. They enjoyed controlling the speed and blasting the whistles or clanging the bells on the trains. Each train there was different from the others. One train had carolers, and one had snowmen. Another train was all lit up with lots of lights. As I walked through the Botanical Gardens, it was like walking in a winter wonder land!

Volunteering has taught me to put others before me. The Rotary motto is “Service before self.” Being a volunteer in the community helps me realize that serving others not only provides a service to the community, but makes you feel good inside as well. It helps me realize how fortunate I am. Whatever the community volunteer activity is, it is important to put others first, and to provide a needed service.

I have been able to help in other volunteer activities previously, such as the Idaho Food Bank, our Church Youth Group food collections for the poor and the North End Food Bank. Through these volunteer opportunities, I was able to help community people who were really in need. It gives a good feeling inside to help out people who are less fortunate. It also makes me realize how much my family and I have been blessed, and I am very thankful to God both for our blessings and for being able to help others.

Making my community a better place is putting other people first instead of me. To give truly is better than to receive.