Useful again!

Today was my first day of volunteer work at Golden Harvest Food Bank. Have I mentioned I'm excited to be doing something useful? I hope to find a way to continue volunteering there once I find a job.

I spent the afternoon sorting cans of soft drinks - tossing those that were too far out of date and replacing the ones that are still usable.

My hands got filthy. I wanted to take a picture of them after I finished working, but I got thirsty and the sweat from my water bottle washed them off. Trust me. They were nasty. This could be a reminder to us all to wash our soda cans before we drink from them. Who knows where those things have been. But I digress.

For three and a half hours, this is all I did. And do you know what? It was awesome. There were maybe 10 people working in the area (that I could see, anyway). Someone had a radio playing on the other side of the room. The lady I worked with had gospel music playing from her phone. She started on one side of the shelf, on the opposite end, doing the same work. Sometimes she sang along with the music - and beautifully, I might add.

"Lisa! You still on your first box?"

I'm on my second, I told her.

"I'm on my fifth! Keep up!" she teased.

"Give her a break. She just started," the manager chimed in. We all laughed.

I loved the jovial mood. It was so nice to be doing something useful, and to be working with my hands. It's hard to forget the reason I am there, and who the food is going to bless.

The area I worked in resembled a warehouse-style grocery store. People from non-profit organizations come here to get food to distribute to the needy.  

Sometimes, I couldn't read the expiration date. Maybe it didn't look old, and I'd briefly consider putting it back in the box. But then I heard my co-worker's voice again say, "When in doubt, throw it out. I don't want to make anybody sick." Out it went.

It hurt to throw away a whole case of apple cider. It looked fine to me, but I couldn't find the expiration date. But the people who need this stuff deserve to get good stuff. Out it went.

Stress relief, apparently, comes from throwing the cartfuls of old drinks into the dumpster. I had to empty my cart several times. Chucking bottles hard enough to break and splatter definitely relieves some stress.

"Pretend it's somebody you're mad at!" I was told. :)

And just like that, it was over. I can't wait to see what I'll be doing next week!