Volunteering and being an active member in my community has been an important part of my life and has made me who I am today. For this reason, I believe I relate most to the value of service. Community service has given me a safe haven, taught me leadership, self-worth and the value of giving back. From a young age I accompanied my brothers and their boy scout troop; participating in various volunteer activities such as clean ups, feeding the less fortunate and other service projects. This instilled in me the value of giving back and helping those less fortunate. Volunteering was neither a chore nor something I was forced to do, it was something I enjoyed and looked forward to. Just as my brothers involvement in the community was the start of my volunteering experience; my sister led me to my ultimate calling. My big sister has always been a role model and someone I have aspired to be like. She liked pink, so I liked pink; she went to a big university, so I always dreamed of going to one; she was in Pet Therapy, so it was no surprise I had an interest in Pet Therapy. Many people dread going to elderly homes and yet I would not want to be anywhere else. Nothing on this earth could ever compare to the feeling of being able to make someone’s day, giving someone hope to be able to fight a sickness and using man’s best friend to do it. Through Pet Therapy I learned patience, gained confidence in myself and learned that I can make a difference. During the various activities I have participated in, I have gained confidence in myself and gained