Our November Volunteer of the Month is Shreeya Goel!
‘Tis the season for giving thanks, and we are ever so thankful for all our volunteers who share their time and energy with our students! Especially those who have been around for a few years and have lent their hands to many of our projects, like rockstar volunteer Shreeya! Shreeya has been volunteering with us for a few years, and these days can be found helping students write stories for Captain Blue’s approval during our Storytelling & Bookmaking Field Trips. Read on to hear more about the magic of Field Trips (and goblins?) from our November Volunteer of the Month!
What is one of your favorite moments (memories, experiences or anecdotes!) from volunteering with 826 Valencia?
My favorite part of Storytelling & Bookmaking Field Trips is always the very end, when Captain Blue reads everyone’s stories for “approval”. Watching the faces of the little tots I worked with change, from nervousness to anticipation to pride when their story ending is approved is priceless!
Where would we usually find you volunteering at 826?
I’m a regular at the OG Mission Center branch! I’ve volunteered with a variety of different programs, including different workshops and the Valencia Bay-farer, and these days I’m enjoying volunteering with Mission Center Field Trips.
What would we find you doing when not you’re not volunteering at 826?
My day job is as a software engineer, but I also like to spend my time making things with my hands, and volunteering at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens.
What led you to become part of our volunteer community? What makes you stay?
I wandered into the Pirate Supply Store by chance when I first moved to San Francisco 6 years ago, and was so inspired by the space that I immediately knew I had to become involved. I find working with elementary school children to be so energizing – their imagination and sense of wonder is just incredible, and that’s what keeps me coming back.
Given a choice of the three, which would you choose: pirates, pufferfish, or woodland creatures? Why?
Woodland creature! I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of a goblin – my ideal day is one spent foraging for shiny objects, eating mushrooms, and chasing frogs.
What is a piece of advice you would give a new 826 volunteer?
Volunteer with Field Trips! It’s the most delightful way to start your day; you’ll definitely leave with a renewed sense of creativity, and maybe it’ll even inspire you to write a story!
You heard Shreeya, sign yourself up for upcoming Mission Center Field Trips on our calendar here! If you’re just getting started, complete your volunteer application here.