My volunteer’s story “Marvelous time”
My name is Valerija Mukauskienė, I am 68. I live in Gargždai, Klaipėda region, Lithuania.
I am an active member of the Klaipeda region U3A. For the third time in a row, I have been elected the board member of U3A. I lead the Faculty of Home Economics. The thematic field is vast, encompassing gardening, horticulture, crafts, legal literacy, and household management. My responsibilities include suggesting topics for the program, planning field trips, finding lecturers, etc. I enjoy doing it, and I am good at it.
I have never participated in volunteer training programs before; however, I attended a seminar organized by Janina, the chairperson of our U3A board. It was during the event that I learned about the Senior Award Program. I was not very enthusiastic about the program at first, but later I decided to try. The program comprises several fields of activities; I made up my mind to start with my two favourite ones: lifelong learning and physical education. The possibilities to express myself in these fields are inexhaustible.
I have always been fond of crafts: knitting, embroidering, crocheting, to name a few. I enjoy making Christmas decorations and wax candles, and I love giving presents, too. The idea of someone lighting a wax candle or hanging a toy on the Christmas tree is heart-warming and makes me very happy.
Having engaged in the Senior Award Program, I set a goal to master new craft-making techniques, especially to sew leather and fabrics (denim). I learned quilting and stitching. Finally, I managed to create a quilt patterned picture on my own. Most importantly, I‘ve learned to observe and document the learning progress, evaluate my achievements, and, to top that, set realistic goals. It was something I had never done before. In addition to this, I also realized that I need to work on my communication skills.
I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to participate in the Senior Award Program. I still need to take up some volunteering activities to qualify for the award. It will require additional efforts and setting new goals.
I highly recommend taking part in the Senior Award Program. It is worthwhile.
