Samantha Bonilla
BETA Club
January 2015 The stagnant funk of buttered-salted popcorn settled comfortably around the counter as the crowds started to fill the stadium. Bouncing on their heels the volunteers flitted across their sections, wrapping a concession here, smoothing the ticket sign there, keeping busy and smiling-smiling-smiling as the first of the football fans trotted up for their hot dogs and chili. Best of all, I thought, with what was certainly a bright beam broadcasting from frontal denture, was when their kids stood on their tippy toes and asked shyly for the candy. The game began, the crowds thinned out, and gold shirts moved with a purpose to clear out the stands for the next wave. What followed then, in the midst of a touchdown, was a most intense discussion among individuals about how best to serve the nachos and cheese, almost drowned out by the roaring of fans. All a good day’s work. That, for me, is satisfaction, or at the very least it’s just as satisfying as making good grades is and going to drill practice; volunteering is fun. Sharing the work with people, good people, with the good times, the bad jokes, and the afterglow of a productive afternoon makes me feel the world is a great place to be alive on. In that I have the. program of JROTC to be thankful for, because without it, I doubt I'd have discovered as many opportunities to get involved outside the classroom. For four years I've volunteered at football games, Color Guards, festivals, and details, and among these I've experienced a wide array of roles as a participant that grew from being a team member to holding service as Cadet in Charge. These lessons have all taught me how to become a better citizen whilst still remembering to enjoy the little things- a worthy goal, I believe, to strived for in the give-and-take realm of Community Service. As a Senior, most of my roles in the community have become as a facilitator- someone that makes plans and scraps ‘em, only to make them again. To get to this point, however, I had to understand that holding events aren't just as easy as taking mark to “set up and go!” Their organization depends on